UC Legend Travis Kelce Setting up Athletic Mental Health Endowment

The donation will ensure all athletes can access mental health services.

CINCINNATI — Former UC tight end and Chiefs great Travis Kelce is starting an endowment at UC through his foundation, Eighty-Seven & Running.

The endowment is funding Cincinnati's Sports Psychology and Counseling Department. It will help expand staff and personnel under the Director of Sports Psychology, Lenecia Nickell.

"During my time at UC, I developed a solid infrastructure of people around to help me navigate through daily life as a student-athlete," Kelce said in a press release. "The transition from high school to college was a difficult one; it was an emotional rollercoaster at times dealing with my academic responsibilities and holding my own on the field. There was little to no room for error in the classroom and on the field. Being able to have that support system in place is part of the reason why I decided to start this Endowment and give back to my alma mater and its athletic department. I'm at a place in my career where I'm able to share my experiences and lend resources to provide the university's student-athletes with the assistance they need to become the best versions of themselves they can be."

No student-athlete will have to worry about accessing mental health services through this endowment.

"We are honored to have Travis Kelce launch this transformational endowment for our student-athletes," UC Director of Athletics John Cunningham said in a press release. "This is a really special gift from Travis because it comes from a former student-athlete for current and future student-athletes, but also because it will impact student-athletes for years to come.

Kelce played at UC from 2009-12 and is on pace to be a first-ballot Pro Football Hall of Famer whenever he retires.

"Travis is a tremendous ambassador for the University of Cincinnati and we are grateful for his continued support for our athletes and our athletic department," Cunningham continued. "Mental health is a crucial component of college athletics. Travis' gift will ensure that Cincinnati remains at the forefront of support for all UC athletes."

Find out more information here.

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