University of Tennessee Athletics
Four Vols Take Part in NCAA Career in Sports Forum
June 04, 2020 | Football, General, Swimming & Diving, Soccer
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – From May 27-29 Wrenne French, Erin Gilroy, Stanzi Moseley and Jake Powers joined close to 400 NCAA student-athletes virtually at the 2020 NCAA Career in Sports Forum.
The forum gave student-athletes from around the country the opportunity to virtually network and get career guidance and advise from athletics administrators and sports industry experts.
The three-day forum prepares junior and senior student-athletes for a career after graduation. The forum helps student-athletes learn more about themselves as leaders by exposing them to projects that require critical thinking as well as practical experiences that will strengthen their personal and professional skills and competencies. Through their participation, attendees gained a deeper understanding of roles within the athletics industry and how their personal and professional interests align with potential career paths.
Moseley, a member of the swimming and diving team and recent UT graduate, dreams of becoming an athletics director at the Division I level. The NCAA forum helped give her the confidence and inspiration to continue pushing and striving to reach for her dreams.
"My dream career is to have the opportunity to be an athletics director at a D1 university," Moseley said. "This forum helped me to understand some of the difficulties that women have in pursuing this career, as well as empowered and inspired me to be like the women who have achieved athletics director status. Beyond that, I now feel more prepared to network among the athletic community, being that through this forum alone, I made over 100 different connections with people at all levels of athletics. Overall, the Career in Sports Forum gave me the confidence I needed to build the executive level image I aspire to every single day. I am so grateful to have had this opportunity and to learn about everything that a career in sports has to offer."
The forum included sessions on how student-athletes can become more aware of their inner strengths, how to develop a career plan, practical approaches to the job search, how to navigate as a young professional in the athletics industry, the role of an athletics administrator and head coach, and other motivational and key messaging from speakers.
French, a rising senior on the soccer team, made note of the forum's diverse programming and learned more about how sport can be used to impact local communities.
"The NCAA offered a really diverse group of speakers from all over the country," French said. "It was interesting to learn about each of their personal journeys through the world of sport, and how their sport has provided them with different career opportunities. We also learned how the power of sport has the ability to spark social change and make a difference in our communities."
Gilroy is set for her fifth season as a member of the Tennessee soccer program and is currently pursuing her master's degree in Sport Management. In addition to gaining insight from top industry professionals, she most enjoyed the forum's discussions on athletes using their platform to make an impact on society.
"The forum provided student-athletes throughout the country with the opportunity to grow professionally, and learn about different career paths in sports," Gilroy said. "The speakers gave us great insight on their journeys to success, and exemplified how the power of sport can change lives when athletes use their platform to create social change."
The diverse lineup of student-athletes represented colleges and universities from all three divisions, numerous academic majors and many sports. The forum, typically held at the NCAA headquarters for close to 200 student-athletes, was expanded this year to provide more guidance and education, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Forum speakers included directors of athletics, representatives from athletics academic services, athletic conference offices, head coaches, and officials in business and professional sports.
For Powers, a redshirt junior on the football team, the NCAA forum was an opportunity to expand his knowledge and understanding of the many different careers the sports industry offers.
"I was honored to be selected to attend the NCAA Career in Sports Forum and represent the University of Tennessee along with my fellow well-deserving student-athletes," Powers said. "This opportunity was very educational and informative to me as I look to broaden my understanding of the various careers in sports and begin my sports management career. The University of Tennessee Sports Management department's teachers, along with my coaches, did an excellent job preparing me for this conference."
Besides hosting the Career in Sports Forum each year, the NCAA leadership development office sponsors other targeted programs that assist student-athletes with the transition to life after college sports, as well as programs to enhance their leadership skills. The department also facilitates inclusive programming for athletics administrators and coaches who work with student-athletes on college campuses.
The forum gave student-athletes from around the country the opportunity to virtually network and get career guidance and advise from athletics administrators and sports industry experts.
The three-day forum prepares junior and senior student-athletes for a career after graduation. The forum helps student-athletes learn more about themselves as leaders by exposing them to projects that require critical thinking as well as practical experiences that will strengthen their personal and professional skills and competencies. Through their participation, attendees gained a deeper understanding of roles within the athletics industry and how their personal and professional interests align with potential career paths.
Moseley, a member of the swimming and diving team and recent UT graduate, dreams of becoming an athletics director at the Division I level. The NCAA forum helped give her the confidence and inspiration to continue pushing and striving to reach for her dreams.
"My dream career is to have the opportunity to be an athletics director at a D1 university," Moseley said. "This forum helped me to understand some of the difficulties that women have in pursuing this career, as well as empowered and inspired me to be like the women who have achieved athletics director status. Beyond that, I now feel more prepared to network among the athletic community, being that through this forum alone, I made over 100 different connections with people at all levels of athletics. Overall, the Career in Sports Forum gave me the confidence I needed to build the executive level image I aspire to every single day. I am so grateful to have had this opportunity and to learn about everything that a career in sports has to offer."
The forum included sessions on how student-athletes can become more aware of their inner strengths, how to develop a career plan, practical approaches to the job search, how to navigate as a young professional in the athletics industry, the role of an athletics administrator and head coach, and other motivational and key messaging from speakers.
French, a rising senior on the soccer team, made note of the forum's diverse programming and learned more about how sport can be used to impact local communities.
"The NCAA offered a really diverse group of speakers from all over the country," French said. "It was interesting to learn about each of their personal journeys through the world of sport, and how their sport has provided them with different career opportunities. We also learned how the power of sport has the ability to spark social change and make a difference in our communities."
Gilroy is set for her fifth season as a member of the Tennessee soccer program and is currently pursuing her master's degree in Sport Management. In addition to gaining insight from top industry professionals, she most enjoyed the forum's discussions on athletes using their platform to make an impact on society.
"The forum provided student-athletes throughout the country with the opportunity to grow professionally, and learn about different career paths in sports," Gilroy said. "The speakers gave us great insight on their journeys to success, and exemplified how the power of sport can change lives when athletes use their platform to create social change."
The diverse lineup of student-athletes represented colleges and universities from all three divisions, numerous academic majors and many sports. The forum, typically held at the NCAA headquarters for close to 200 student-athletes, was expanded this year to provide more guidance and education, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Forum speakers included directors of athletics, representatives from athletics academic services, athletic conference offices, head coaches, and officials in business and professional sports.
For Powers, a redshirt junior on the football team, the NCAA forum was an opportunity to expand his knowledge and understanding of the many different careers the sports industry offers.
"I was honored to be selected to attend the NCAA Career in Sports Forum and represent the University of Tennessee along with my fellow well-deserving student-athletes," Powers said. "This opportunity was very educational and informative to me as I look to broaden my understanding of the various careers in sports and begin my sports management career. The University of Tennessee Sports Management department's teachers, along with my coaches, did an excellent job preparing me for this conference."
Besides hosting the Career in Sports Forum each year, the NCAA leadership development office sponsors other targeted programs that assist student-athletes with the transition to life after college sports, as well as programs to enhance their leadership skills. The department also facilitates inclusive programming for athletics administrators and coaches who work with student-athletes on college campuses.
Players Mentioned
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/ Soccer
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/ Soccer
Freestyle
/ Swimming & Diving
DB
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