Former Penn State standout John Amaechi has watched the events of the last week involving his old school with horror from his home in Manchester, England.
Amaechi has reached out to his alma mater to offer his services as an organizational psychologist.
“I work to help organizations that have a dysfunctional culture or climate, to help organizations with unhealthy focuses and help get them refocused,” Amaechi .
And he hasn’t forgotten about his old school, which has been sullied by what most observers are calling the most notable scandal in college sports history. Former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky has been accused of sexually abusing eight boys over a 15-year period (1994-2009) and Penn State’s reputation is in tatters.
Amaechi has some dealings with Sandusky’s Second Mile Foundation after he was recruited with other Penn State athletes.
“It was myself and my cohorts — a couple of wrestlers, volleyball players from the men’s and women’s side, runners,” Amaechi told Sports Illustrated. “We would go down and do whatever [the kids] were doing, whether it was play days or sports activities.
“It’s part of what makes this painful. I had no personal relationship [with Sandusky], but it almost feels like the athletes involved were what made Second Mile so alluring to the kids.”
Alumni like Amaechi are willing to help. Is Penn State willing to listen?