MORGANTOWN, W.V.a. – A group of WVU football players are headed across the pond as part of the Chambers Elite Climbers program.

Eight Mountaineers are traveling to Europe to learn about new cultures during this once-in-a-lifetime experience. They departed Monday.

Over the 10-day trip, participating student-athletes will spend most of their time in Germany, but Amsterdam, the home of WVU linebacker Jairo Faverus, Athens and Rome are some of the other options the international participants will have the opportunity to visit.

The Chambers Elite Climbers is a two-year supplemental program that provides student-athletes with personal and professional growth opportunities. It was created after WVU alumni John and Elaine Chambers made a $1.6 million donation to the 5th Quarter Program last May.

The Chambers Elite Climbers program allows select student-athletes to dive deeper into off-the-field interests like entrepreneurship, technology, financial education and communication. The study-abroad opportunity is just one of the many experiences the student-athletes will be able to pursue each year through this program.

Participants will also benefit from educational speakers, internships and career preparation resources.

In 2020, head coach Neal Brown established the 5th Quarter Program, which is designed to serve and develop student-athletes in an effort to set them up for success on the field and after graduation.

The program’s whole-person approach focuses on five pillars: character development, leadership development, real life, career development and social responsibility.