Two Anna Maria Student-Athletes Invited to NCAA Career in Sports Forum

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Courtesy of Anna Maria Athletics Communications

INDIANAPOLIS — Two Anna Maria College seniors are among more than 200 student-athletes nationwide who have been invited to attend the NCAA Career in Sports Forum. A committee from within the NCAA membership selected Kevin Grey (Middleborough, Mass.) of the AMCAT football team and Brittany Jackson (Larchmont, N.Y.), a volleyball and softball player, to attend this year's event from June 2-5 at the NCAA headquarters in Indianapolis.

Participants who expressed an interest in pursuing a career in sports, and who were viewed as leaders on their campus, were invited to apply to attend the forum after a nomination by athletics administrators at their respective schools. Many current and past attendees are members of their Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), the student-athlete voice within the NCAA governance structure. The selection committee is comprised of administrators and coaches within the NCAA, many who are former forum participants themselves.

"This is a true honor for Kevin and Brittany," said Anna Maria Director of Athletics Laura Habacker. "They're both well-known leaders at Anna Maria, but the NCAA honoring them with this prestigious invitation validates their efforts for the past four years."

On the field, Grey was a three-year captain for the AMCATS. Off the field, he balanced duties as a resident assistant and a work study position in the athletic department while also being an active participant in SAAC. He represented Anna Maria and the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) at the 2016 NCAA National Convention in San Antonio, and aspires to work in sports administration after graduate school.

Jackson played three different sports during her time at Anna Maria and also held a work study position within the athletic department. During her senior year, she interned at the College of the Holy Cross in the athletic marketing department. She aspires to work for a major sports conference or team and is also interested in coaching.

"Supporting NCAA student-athlete leaders with their education is a key goal for the Association," said Bernard Franklin, NCAA executive vice president of education and community engagement and chief inclusion officer. "Our Career in Sports Forum puts student-athletes and postgraduate scholarship recipients in a non-traditional academic setting where they can learn directly from successful leaders, which can have a positive impact on their future after graduation." 

One of more than 20 annual programs and resources organized and directed by the NCAA leadership development department, the Career in Sports Forum provides college athletes with a broader scope of the career tracks available within the sports business, with the primary focus on college athletics. The forum provides student-athletes interactive experiences with successful individuals in the sports business and a peek into their day-to-day duties and responsibilities. 

Forum attendees will hear from keynote speakers and panelists, highlighted by LaChina Robinson, former women's basketball player at Georgia Tech and current TV analyst; Stevie Baker-Watson, director of athletics at DePauw University; and Craig McPhail, vice president of athletics and club sports at Lees-McRae College. The participants also learn best practices for gaining employment and gathering a better understanding of what future expectations will be once they get a job in sports at the Next Steps Fair, hosted in the NCAA Hall of Champions.  

The NCAA leadership development department provides professional and personal development for the entire Association, including student-athletes, coaches and administrators, through accessible resources, strategic partnerships and annual customized programming at little or no cost to the membership. For more information, please go to www.NCAA.org/leadershipdevelopment.

Search #LearnLead and follow the social conversation and events at the 2016 Career in Sports Forum, as well as all the leadership development programs in 2016.