About the Department
There is tremendous movement at MIT, which enhances the Institute's definition of student excellence while reinforcing the MIT motto of mens et manus, meaning "mind and hand". Alongside MIT's vast and superior academic curriculum, the Department of Athletics, Physical Education and Recreation (DAPER) has reinforced its focus toward fostering the growth of the competitively active student, while keeping sight of the Institute's valued academic standards.
In short, DAPER (day-per) is a five-piece unit which serves the MIT community through intercollegiate athletics, physical education, club and intramural sports, and health & fitness programming. The department's mission is to bring students, faculty, and staff together in educational activities that promote healthy lifestyles, enhance a sense of community, foster growth in leadership and teamwork skills, and encourage the pursuit of excellence.
The Physical Education program anchors the middle part of the department's acronym, although it clearly seems appropriate to signal the Institute's expansive PE program, which includes over 60 different class offerings, as the central focus to the DAPER scheme. All undergraduates pass through DAPER as credit requirements and an Institute-mandated swim test ensure that every student will at least have the opportunity to share in the mission of the department.
The department of athletics at MIT includes multiple components separated by different levels of skill and commitment. Firm believers in providing equal opportunity for all, DAPER engages student-athletes in productive self-improvement pursuits that satisfy an individual's priority interest at a skill level appropriate to their ability while positively impacting the greatest number of participants. Supporting its mission through actions, MIT boasts one of the most comprehensive club and intramural sports programs in the nation. The Institute sponsors 21 intramural sports, each consisting of leagues competing at various levels. The club sports piece is even larger. With 40 different athletic groups, the community is presented with a plethora of accessible options. Initially geared for MIT's graduate population, nearly 40% of all graduate students at MIT compete in club sports. The programs are open to all students, spouses, faculty and staff, and student leadership sets the pace within each activity.
While DAPER ardently supports the Division III philosophy of participation opportunities for the greatest number of students, it should not be mistaken that MIT does not want to excel at the highest level in intercollegiate athletics. The Institute works tirelessly to ensure that only the most capable and deserving students gain access to MIT's prestigious halls. At the same time, it is important to note that some of Tech's most exceptional students are also exceptional athletes, looking to share in the experience that only varsity athletics can provide. MIT competes as part of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in Division III, which emphasizes a student's academic experience and seeks to maximize the balance between athletics and academics. The highest priority is placed on the overall quality of the educational experience. For student-athletes at MIT, admission standards never waver, special financial aid incentives are not supported and separate curriculums are unavailable. Some of the modeling is unique even from other Division III institutions. This is what makes MIT's varsity athletic programs, and the students that choose to engage in this arena, even more special. Playing by their own difficult set of standards, the affectionately known Engineers dismiss the challenges in typical MIT fashion and continue to excel on a national level.
MIT has produced 114 Academic All-Americans in its history, the third largest membership in the country for any division and the highest number of members for Division III. In the past ten years, 157 students in 14 different sports have received All-America honors. Our coaches, who have always been considered integral to the development of our student-athletes, have received national or regional honors in 15 sports. Throughout its history, MIT has captured national championships in crew and pistol and showcased runner-up national finishes in track and field and volleyball. The men's tennis team has been to the NCAA Championships in eight of the last 12 years, reaching the quarterfinals three times during that span, while women's tennis, sailing, cross country and women's gymnastics have also made numerous appearances at the NCAA Championships. Recent accomplishments include: 2003 men's soccer reaching the national quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament, 2003 men's water polo eliciting the Institute's first No. 1 national ranking and sophomore Evan Tindell becoming MIT's first national champion in men's tennis after coasting nearly unscathed through four rounds of the 2003 Intercollegiate Tennis Association Small College Championships.
With athletics playing an important part in youth development, it's no wonder that MIT continues to yield stronger teams as the Institute's incoming population has grown up surrounded by the ideology that athletics help shape our character and values. With more students seeking to maximize their athletic potential in addition to the pursuit of academic excellence, MIT has benefited from superior students who are eager to display their athletic prowess.
The DAPER mission directly supports both the educational mission of MIT and the educational triad at MIT recently noted by the Task Force on Student Life and Learning. An unwavering desire to push the achievements of our student-athletes fuels the department's campaign for an enhanced sense of pride and support both in and outside the MIT community. As MIT built its reputation on practical training and research in engineering and science, DAPER brings to light that while known for its pristine academic reputation, MIT is proud of the attraction it offers for those in pursuit of excellence in athletics as well.
Fine Print
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For general inquiries, please contact athletics@mit.edu
