COLLEGE PARK, MD -- Four Maryland student-athletes will travel to Boston this week to participate in the Team IMPACT Fellowship Summit. Reese Delp (Field Hockey), Robert Smith (Football), Ruben Hyppolite II (Football) and Alexa Rothenbuescher (Gymnastics) will represent Maryland student-athletes.

This year, 116 student-athletes from across the country will attend a comprehensive, three-day Summit at Boston University, to prepare for the upcoming year in the Team IMPACT fellowship Program. During the Summit, Fellows will be introduced to the organization, their role on campus and in the community, and are given the opportunity to build strong connections with the other student-athletes in the incoming class. 

Sessions include a chance to hear from athletic administrators and family participants about their experiences, a networking event hosted at Vertex Pharmaceuticals, and a multi-day competition between small groups of student-athletes as a team building exercise. The goal of Summit is to prepare Fellows to head back to campus for the fall semester with tangible goals for what they can accomplish, and a general outline of how to do so.

Team IMPACT tackles the emotional trauma and social isolation experienced by children facing serious and chronic illnesses by matching them with a college athletic team. Through a two-year therapeutic program that complements their medical treatments, children develop relationships and skills that help them complete the full circle of healing.

The Fellows will represent Team IMPACT to collaborate with the athletic teams, athletic department and greater campus community to raise awareness and increase program participation. In return, Team IMPACT provides opportunities for Fellows to build their skills in leadership, community organization, public speaking, and professional/career development, preparing them to be leaders in the workforce and beyond.

-Terps-