Heather O’Dell // Staff Writer
Student-athletes being more privileged than the rest of the University’s student body is a common belief many share. But junior infielder Eddie Silva believes that athletes aren’t treated differently from the rest.
“Classes are definitely not any easier because I am an athlete, and we have access to all the same things other students have as well,” said Silva. “We get treated like regular students. I think that’s a big misconception people have.”
Katie Garcia, a sophomore studying psychology, has a different opinion.
“It’s not that I think athletes have it any easier, I just think they have more opportunities at hand that other students would have to pay for,” said Garcia. “I have classes all day on Tuesdays, so I have to eat lunch at school. It gets expensive to eat at school often. Athletes, under their scholarships, eat for free.”
Although getting certain ‘perks’ under a scholarship, Silva acknowledges that not every athlete at FIU have the same benefit.
“Not every athlete at FIU gets meal plans or panther bucks to spend at the on-site restaurants, it depends on your scholarship terms,” said the baseball player. “All students at FIU have access to tutoring or any academic help. They also have a gym on campus they can go to. Athletes utilize all those same benefits.”
Student-athletes work hard for their scholarships. Students who have gained scholarships based on their academic level receive certain benefits as well.
“At the end of the day, I think all FIU students are treated and given the same amount of access,” Silva says. “I live at FIU. I study, play and grow at FIU. Nothing else is different.
Despite their different opinions, both Garcia and Silva agree that the university can make an effort to make attending FIU more affordable for those who aren’t on a scholarship.
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