Kristen Struett Selected to Participate in 2014 NCAA Career in Sports Forum
June 5, 2014
COLUMBIA, S.C. – Gamecock Kristen Struett, a student-athlete on South Carolina’s softball team, garnered selection to the 2014 NCAA Career in Sports Forum, hosted by the association over June 5-8 in Indianapolis.
The junior from Westminster, Calif., majors in sports management and is one of 13 student-athletes from the Southeastern Conference among the more than 200 chosen to participate in this four-day forum, which is in its fifth year of existence.
“I am very excited to have the amazing opportunity to attend this year’s NCAA Career in Sports Forum,” said Struett. “I feel honored to be one of the chosen student-athletes from schools around the country to be a participant, and I can’t wait to represent the University of South Carolina.”
Organized and directed by the NCAA Leadership Development department, the Career in Sports Forum was created to provide student-athletes with a broader scope of the career tracks available within the sports business, with the primary focus on intercollegiate athletics. The forum provides student-athletes interactive experiences with successful individuals in sports business and a peek into their day-to-day duties and responsibilities.
During the forum, participants will hear from keynote speakers and panelists – including former University of Tennessee women’s athletics director emeritus Joan Cronan, Rice University athletics director Joe Karlgaard and WISH-TV Indianapolis sports anchor Anthony Calhoun – and also learn best practices for gaining employment and gathering a better understanding of what future expectations will be once they get a job.
“Supporting NCAA student-athlete leaders with their education is a key goal for the Association,” said Dr. Bernard Franklin, NCAA executive vice president of membership and student-athlete affairs 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.”
“I think it is very important for all student-athletes to have a plan for what they want to do after they are done playing in college,” remarked Struett, “and take advantage of every opportunity they get to better their `off the field’ skills. Coach (Beverly) Smith has always taught us the importance of being professional and approachable and how succeeding off the field is just as important, if not more, than on the field.”
Participants who expressed an interest in pursuing a career in sports and who were viewed as leaders on their campus were invited to the four-day Career In Sports Forum after their nomination year by athletics administrators at their respective schools. Many are members of their Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), the student-athlete voice within the NCAA governance structure.
Struett also said she’s excited to hear from NCAA President Dr. Mark Emmert as well as getting to meet student-athletes from all over the country.
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.
