For the fourth year, the NCAA office of inclusion partnered with each of the historically Black college and university conference offices to select eight student-athletes to attend the Black Student Athlete Summit. This year's summit was May 20-23 in Eugene, Oregon.
"It has been a great relationship to work with the conference commissioners and their staff to identify student-athletes who are leaders within their respective conference to attend the summit and use the information learned to gain tools that will enrich them and their teammates as leaders," said Niya Blair Hackworth, director of curriculum and internal engagement at the NCAA.
"We are thrilled to partner with (the NCAA) in providing opportunities for our students to attend the Black Student Athlete Summit," said Anthony Holloman, Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference commissioner. "This event exemplifies the NCAA's unwavering commitment to creating exceptional opportunities for HBCU student-athletes to attend sessions curated to foster success beyond the playing fields while enhancing their preparedness for an ever-changing global society."
The NCAA's HBCU Fellows group met twice before the summit, creating connections that Jennifer Ramirez found helpful.
"I came in a little nervous about meeting new people, but the way everyone clicked instantly definitely made the summit enjoyable," the Fort Valley State softball student-athlete said. "Being an HBCU Fellow helped me become more confident in who I am and push me to want to strive for bigger and better accomplishments in my life."
Tyler Clark, a football student-athlete at North Carolina Central, also appreciated the connections he made.
"I got to be around others, and you see people who are just like you who have the same goal," he said.
The theme of this year's summit was Beyond NIL. The summit featured a "Pro Day," where student-athletes attended sessions with the opportunity to engage with former student-athletes and professionals in a variety of industries, including medicine, law and entrepreneurship.
Robert Scott III, a track and field student-athlete at Bluefield State, honed his leadership skills at the summit.
"As a fellow HBCU student, this experience significantly impacted my development as a leader by allowing me to stand out and represent my university on a larger platform," he said. "This opportunity has not only strengthened my leadership abilities but has also enhanced my professional profile and expanded my network. I have built meaningful connections that I will value and carry with me throughout my career and beyond."
Kalani Vreen, meanwhile, gained communications skills. The track and field student-athlete from Arkansas-Pine Bluff said, "It made me more comfortable speaking with people and making connections. I'm taking back the idea of authenticity, as well as how to communicate with professionals in my environment."
Savannah Stover, a softball and bowling student-athlete at Norfolk State, thinks the summit provided her opportunities to grow, connect and learn.
"One of the biggest takeaways was the importance of knowing who you are outside of your athletic identity and being confident in telling your story."
Connecting with other Black student-athletes and professionals provided these HBCU Fellows opportunities to build new connections.
"The summit exposes student-athletes to opportunities beyond sports while creating a strong sense of community among Black student-athletes from across the country," Stover said. "I left the summit feeling inspired, motivated, empowered and grateful for the experience, and I believe other student-athletes would benefit just as much from attending."
