National Collegiate Athletic Association
NCAA News Archive - 2007
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A day to honor athlete impact
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By Anna Chappell, University of Arizona, Megan Burd, Wheeling Jesuit University and Sameer Khan, Fairleigh Dickinson University, Florham
Each year, millions of people across the world witness the amazing spectacle that is intercollegiate athletics. Those spectators — whether fair-weather fans or die-hard enthusiasts — observe competitions that are the product of years of hard work from the student-athlete participants, and support from parents, teachers, coaches and administrators who help make the experience possible.
As student-athletes, we all are recognized for our performance on the fields and courts, but our accomplishments in our classrooms and communities are often overlooked.
As the NCAA completes its 101st year, the Association’s goal remains keeping student-athlete well-being at the forefront of discussion. That point is reinforced annually on National Student-Athlete Day, during which the bonds linking academics, athletics and community are demonstrated on a grand scale.
In 1987, the National Consortium for Academics and Sports created National Student-Athlete Day to ensure student-athletes not only are celebrated for their athletics excellence but also for their academic successes and contributions to the community. April 6 marks the 20th anniversary of the inaugural celebration, and NCAA members across the country continue to build on the success of previous celebrations.
Student-athletes, presidents, administrators and coaches have acknowledged that the student-athlete experience is more than just the games themselves. Regardless of the level of competition, the student-athlete experience is about the educational atmosphere, taking advantage of the opportunities made available on campuses and reaching out to the community.
Being a successful student-athlete means growing and giving as a person, and those values are at the core of what National Student-Athlete Day celebrates. It acknowledges that student-athletes, parents, coaches and administrators do more for the community through sport than simply being involved in a game.
To enhance the impact of National Student-Athlete Day, institutions and conferences have assembled some remarkable events.
For example, the State University College at Cortland will recognize its student-athletes at a halftime ceremony during a home lacrosse game. More than 300 student-athletes will be involved, as well as 100 members from the surrounding community.
Pepperdine University is hosting its eighth annual academic honors luncheon, during which more than 100 student-athletes will be recognized alongside 40 members of the community.
Clark Atlanta University will host an assembly to recognize more than 200 student-athletes and also include members of the local community.
Those are just a few of the celebrations planned for National Student-Athlete Day. Others range from dinner parties to coffee-house gatherings to evening galas. Institutional events are as diverse as student-athletes themselves, but their purpose is the same: to celebrate and recognize student-athletes for being just that — successful students and athletes.
As we celebrate National Student-Athlete Day, these are the core values we recognize. Playing a sport in college is an honor and a privilege. On National Student-Athlete Day, we celebrate our achievements, our struggles and, of course, the passion we all have in common — both on and off the field.
Thanks to the NCAA and groups like the NCAS, student-athletes have the opportunity to set themselves apart by integrating themselves within the community as a whole.
Anna Chappell, Megan Burd and Sameer Khan are chairs of the Divisions I, II and III Student-Athlete Advisory Committees, respectively.
As student-athletes, we all are recognized for our performance on the fields and courts, but our accomplishments in our classrooms and communities are often overlooked.
As the NCAA completes its 101st year, the Association’s goal remains keeping student-athlete well-being at the forefront of discussion. That point is reinforced annually on National Student-Athlete Day, during which the bonds linking academics, athletics and community are demonstrated on a grand scale.
In 1987, the National Consortium for Academics and Sports created National Student-Athlete Day to ensure student-athletes not only are celebrated for their athletics excellence but also for their academic successes and contributions to the community. April 6 marks the 20th anniversary of the inaugural celebration, and NCAA members across the country continue to build on the success of previous celebrations.
Student-athletes, presidents, administrators and coaches have acknowledged that the student-athlete experience is more than just the games themselves. Regardless of the level of competition, the student-athlete experience is about the educational atmosphere, taking advantage of the opportunities made available on campuses and reaching out to the community.
Being a successful student-athlete means growing and giving as a person, and those values are at the core of what National Student-Athlete Day celebrates. It acknowledges that student-athletes, parents, coaches and administrators do more for the community through sport than simply being involved in a game.
To enhance the impact of National Student-Athlete Day, institutions and conferences have assembled some remarkable events.
For example, the State University College at Cortland will recognize its student-athletes at a halftime ceremony during a home lacrosse game. More than 300 student-athletes will be involved, as well as 100 members from the surrounding community.
Pepperdine University is hosting its eighth annual academic honors luncheon, during which more than 100 student-athletes will be recognized alongside 40 members of the community.
Clark Atlanta University will host an assembly to recognize more than 200 student-athletes and also include members of the local community.
Those are just a few of the celebrations planned for National Student-Athlete Day. Others range from dinner parties to coffee-house gatherings to evening galas. Institutional events are as diverse as student-athletes themselves, but their purpose is the same: to celebrate and recognize student-athletes for being just that — successful students and athletes.
As we celebrate National Student-Athlete Day, these are the core values we recognize. Playing a sport in college is an honor and a privilege. On National Student-Athlete Day, we celebrate our achievements, our struggles and, of course, the passion we all have in common — both on and off the field.
Thanks to the NCAA and groups like the NCAS, student-athletes have the opportunity to set themselves apart by integrating themselves within the community as a whole.
Anna Chappell, Megan Burd and Sameer Khan are chairs of the Divisions I, II and III Student-Athlete Advisory Committees, respectively.
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