The wonderful experiences provided by the NCAA Foundation Leadership Conference are priceless, but they certainly aren't free.

Air travel, lodging, food, speakers, conference facilities, facilitator training, materials and more all come at a cost. And student-athletes are like locusts; they are always hungry.

"The conference has been an outstanding success, and the only limitation is funding," said Marion B. Peavey, NCAA Foundation executive director.

While in previous years as many as 380 student-athletes were able to attend the Leadership Conference, that total was trimmed to around 300 this year to cut costs.

"We couldn't continue to underwrite everybody who wanted to come," said Ron Stratten, NCAA vice-president for education services. "Before, we could say, 'If you have a CHAMPS/Life Skills program, you can send somebody.' But we just don't have the funds to do that. We'd like to incrementally increase the number of student-athletes who get the opportunity back up to 350."

One of this year's major donors was Christine Toretti, president and CEO of the S.W. Jack Drilling Company, headquartered in Pennsylvania. Toretti, a member of the NCAA Foundation Board of Directors, gave the single largest gift ever from an individual -- $100,000 -- for a series of "scholarships" to attend the conference.

The American Express Foundation gave $125,000 this year, and Delta Airlines provided $100,000 in airline tickets for participants. A number of smaller gifts have been provided by Foundation board members and other donors.

"We, of course, are delighted to receive this gift support for this year, but we will need greater support if the Leadership Conference is to maintain its quality," Peavey said.

Looking for a few good donors

Peavey is actively seeking major corporations looking to invest on an experience that today's future doctors, lawyers, corporate executives and athletics administrators call "life-changing."

"The Leadership Conference provides an excellent opportunity for our donors to become directly involved with student-athletes and to personally witness the intensive leadership training provided," Peavey said.

The student-athlete leaders of tomorrow can't say enough about how the experience is something that they value and wish more people could experience.

"I had heard about this conference and how wonderful it was before I came," said Hank Richardson, a finance major and student-athlete on the diving team at the University of Florida.

"I just wish that other student-athletes and even other people all across the country knew how great it was and how much is going on here," he said. "The people I've met, the things I've learned, the skills I've gained -- it's truly been a life-changing experience."

Sounds like a bargain.

-- Kay Hawes