Photo credit: sjsuspartans.com

By: Ana Kieu

Within the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics, San Jose State University’s latest major corporate relationship is a multi-year agreement with the O’Connor Hospital in San Jose, California. Spartans’ Director of Athletics, Marie Tuite, made the announcement Thursday morning.

As a new corporate partner, O’Connor immediately became the “Official Healthcare Partner” of Spartan Athletics and will offer student-athletes an integrated healthcare delivery system with time-saving access to urgent care, emergency care, surgical services and rehabilitation services.

“Our new partnership with O’Connor Hospital offers our student-athletes a superior integrated off-campus health care system here in the Silicon Valley, less than 15 minutes away from our campus. O’Connor’s team of physicians, nurses, specialists, staff and administrators are very highly regarded,” Tuite said. “This is a ‘win-win’ arrangement for San Jose State University Athletics and O’Connor Hospital.”

“We are delighted to align one Silicon Valley icon, O’Connor Hospital, with another — San José State University,” said =O’Connor Hospital’s President and Chief Executive Officer Jordan R. Herget. “Each organization lays a critical role in the community around us. Our physicians and staff are pleased to be of service to San José State student-athletes who may need expert care at our hospital.”

O’Connor Hospital will have the opportunity to host two events promoting health wellness and disease awareness in conjunction with SJSU Athletics events throughout the academic year.

O’Connor Hospital will have increased contact with student-athletes, staff, faculty, alumni and Spartan sports fans through venue signage, game-day sponsorships, digital campaigns and engagement on the Spartan Radio Network.

O’Connor Hospital will continue serving as the presenting sponsor to the Spartan Foundation “Athlete of the Month.” It’s promoted online–in social media and on newsletter platforms–to recognize superior intercollegiate athletics achievements.

On behalf of SJSU Athletics, the newly integrated corporate relationship between the SJSU Athletics and O’Connor Hospital was cultivated by Learfield’s Campus+ business. Learfield serves as the Spartans’ multi-media rights holder.

“There are significant possibilities that exist through this partnership and the obvious affinity of aligning San José’s oldest hospital with a college that has stood the test of time since 1857 and having that college, San José State University, in its own backyard,” said Learfield’s Campus+ Executive Vice President Solly Fulp.

“This is an excellent example of Learfield identifying smart, strategic relationships for the Spartans that are mutually beneficial for the corporate partner, the university and its fans.”

About SJSU Athletics
SJSU sponsors 20 (seven men’s and 13 women’s) NCAA Division I intercollegiate sports programs for approximately 470 student-athletes annually.

In football, the Spartans are a member of Division I’s Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), the NCAA’s highest level of competition.

The Spartans’ primary conference affiliate is the Mountain West. Selected teams belong to the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF), the Western Athletic Conference (WAC), and the Golden Coast Conference (GCC).

SJSU has 10 NCAA team championships and 52 NCAA individual titles. 62 Spartans competed in one or more Olympic Games. SJSU athletes have won seven gold medals, six silver medals and seven bronze medals at the Olympics.

Annually, about one-third of the student-athlete population earns an institutional, conference or national recognition based on their outstanding academic performance.

About O’Connor Hospital
O’Connor Hospital became a part of the new Verity Health System in December 2015. Since then, significant revitalization efforts have been underway, including the recruitment of new physicians joining the ranks of existing hospital physicians, development of new clinical programs and strategic business relationships, facility enhancements, and marketing initiatives.

O’Connor Hospital offers an innovative “10-minute commitment,” an assurance for patients visiting the emergency department to be evaluated by their medical team within 10 minutes of arrival. This includes a convenient online check-in tool for non-life-threatening emergencies.