Ferrum College seniors Elijah Jones and Breanna Weaver attended the 2024 NCAA Convention from January 10 to January 13 in Phoenix, Arizona. The purpose of the convention was to bring together students and individuals in athletics across all three divisions. The NCAA president Charlie Baker spoke about the state of college sports and how it is moving forward and the changes that are happening in the NCAA. Some of the key things he highlighted were student-athlete mental health and adopting new best practices, sports betting, and continuing to provide diverse developmental programming.
Within Division III, there was also a voting session where all Division III Conferences and Institutions and Division III National SAAC voted on changes to the current legislation. There were also different education sessions and multiple opportunities to connect with other people within the sports industry.
Jones was selected to be a part of the NCAA Division III Immersion program and was able to attend the convention. Weaver was selected by the Old Dominion Athletic Conference to attend to represent the College.
Jones had an eye-opening and transformative experience at the convention. “I was able to envision myself in these same positions in the future. When I received the news that I had been accepted into the Immersion Program, I cried tears of joy because I knew it would be the perfect chance to start a conversation about mental health among student-athletes as I pursue a career in clinical sports psychology. It lit that fire under me again to push me through the rest of the semester,” Jones shared.
Jones was also able to learn about the power of perspective. “I was able to hear from people who are higher up in athletic departments but share the same thoughts and perspectives as student athletes, which was very intriguing and comforting to hear,” Jones explained.
Weaver attending the NCAA Convention was a once in a lifetime experience for her. “I wanted to attend this event to get an inside look into the NCAA and the business side of athletics. Dajah Berger encouraged me into applying to attend the Convention since my career goals are to work in athletics. In the future, I would like to work in sports marketing with a professional team or a college team. I saw this convention as an opportunity to learn more about the NCAA and a chance to network and connect with other athletes and professionals in careers that I would potentially like to work alongside in the future,” said Weaver.
Weaver’s biggest takeaway from the convention was learning more about mental health programs for student athletes at other colleges and universities. “Many of these mental health programs are split into mandatory classes based on grade level, international athletes, and injured athletes since all these factors create different types of stress for each student athlete,” Weaver shared. She was also able to witness different awards given to student athletes, not just for their sport but also with academics and volunteer work. “Seeing this has inspired me into wanting to do more for my school, my teams, and myself,” she said.
College President Mirta Martin affirmed the value of such conference experiences for students. “We are excited to have Breanna and Elijah represent Ferrum College at the NCAA Convention. Student participation at such events is important. Not only are they representing the College on the national level, participating in such an experience will help them develop professionalism and networking skills as they prepare for their careers after college.”
Along with the two Ferrum students who attended, Coordinator of Student-Athlete Success, Inclusion and Leadership Dajah Berger also attended the convention. This was her second convention, and she wanted to hear about where college athletics is heading and changes in Division III. “The educational sessions help me with new ideas to bring to the College and help identify ways to improve the student-athlete experience,” said Berger.
One key takeaway she learned from the convention is making Ferrum more inclusive for the students. “Our student population is quite diverse, and it is important to celebrate the many identities on campus. There are many programs that the NCAA offers to help with the education about Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB). I believe bringing these different types of training to our school and educating our faculty and staff will be helpful in creating a more inclusive space for our students,” she said.
