INDIANAPOLIS---NCAA Division II student-athletes, athletics administrators and coaches will meet in Charlotte, North Carolina, September 10-12, to discuss opportunities and challenges that are specific to their division, in addition to other topics and issues of interest at the NCAA Division II Student-Athlete Leadership Action Academy.

The Division II Student-Athlete Leadership Action Academy was specifically created for Division II student-athletes in an attempt to help them enhance their critical-thinking skills; gain insight about themselves through constructive feedback; and become more effective leaders on their campuses and in their communities. The student-athletes will participate in daily discussions throughout the weekend, and will receive guidance and feedback from the athletics administrators and coaches. The forum also provides the student-athletes with an opportunity to talk about issues of relevance in Division II, and to discuss how those issues affect them and other student-athletes on campus. The student-athletes can take the tools they receive at the academy and apply that knowledge toward addressing, and possibly solving, a campus-based or broader Division II issue.

The student-athletes attending the Division II Student-Athlete Leadership Action Academy represent a wide array of NCAA sports. Additionally, the Division II Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), which is the “voice of the student-athlete” within the NCAA governance structure, also will have a strong presence at the academy. The Division II SAAC has been proactive in addressing issues with its management and presidents councils, and in working on community service outreach, such as its initiative to raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

The leadership action academy is part of the Division II strategic plan that was designed to enhance the institutional environment for student-athletes by promoting a better understanding of the Division II student-athlete experience. The Charlotte action academy will host student-athletes, athletics administrators and coaches affiliated with member institutions in the southern region of the United States.