Terps Attend Leadership Conference
6/12/2007 8:00:00 AM | Terrapin Athletics
June 12, 2007
Junior track and field team member, Natasha Emmanuel, represented the University of Maryland at the 11th annual NCAA National Leadership Conference from May 27-31 at the Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. The Leadership Conference Selection Committee selected Emmanuel to attend the conference as one of the 355 student-athletes that is a current or future leader on their college campus.
"The conference was one of the greatest experiences in my life. It astonishes me how in such a few days something could have changed the way I look at life," said Emmanuel. "I now realized I have so much at hand and can achieve anything I desire. The people at the conference were more than just inspirational and role models to me; they have become a part of my family."
The Leadership Conference was designed to give student-athletes an opportunity to work on their leadership and decision-making skills and discuss key issues surrounding athletics, their campus and their community. The conference consisted of speaker and discussion sessions and daily team building exercises and activities. Among the topics discussed at the conference were sportsmanship, substance abuse, social networking sites, hazing, recruiting climate, professional development and integrating student-athletes into campus.
Emmanuel was one of the four Maryland student-athletes nominated by Laura Meckley, Assistant Director of Academic Support & Career Development and CHAMPS/Life Skills program coordinator, for the conference. Among these nominees, the Leadership Conference selection committee decided on one participant per conference.
"The conference teaches student-athletes valuable leadership strategies and motivates them to become more involved in their overall Maryland experience," said Meckley. "Each year we are fortunate to send one individual to represent Maryland. Leadership was our focus over the 2006-07 academic year in the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and we plan to continue this emphasis this coming year. I'm confident Natasha will bring a wealth of experience and enthusiasm to the SAAC next year. Her experience at the leadership conference will help prepare her to be an essential part of SAAC and the CHAMPS/Life Skills program in 2007-08."
Kirsten Olson, Maryland Athletics assistant director of marketing, was one of the 28 program facilitators that joined the student-athletes at the conference. The Leadership Conference also encourages better communication among student-athletes, coaches, administrators, faculty and communities. This is Olson's second year as a program facilitator. As a student-athlete, Olson attended the conference on behalf of the Division I National SAAC.
"This Conference was a life-changing experience for me when I was a student-athlete, so when I was asked to be a facilitator it was a quick and easy decision," said Olson. "These 355 student-athletes are truly amazing people. They are some of the most motivated, positive and inspiring people I have ever met. I was honored to be a part of their `life changing experience'."
The NCAA National Leadership Conference is an outreach of the successful CHAMPS/Life Skills Program and involves over 300 student-athletes each year who compete in fall, winter and spring sports in Divisions I, II and III. Many of the student-athletes who participate are members of their conference and campus Student-Athlete Advisory Committees (SAACs). Each NCAA member institution that has a CHAMPS/Life Skills Program is encouraged to nominate student-athletes from their campus for the annual leadership conference.
