INDIANAPOLIS---The NCAA will host more than 700 student-athletes in a forum to discuss topics that affect them on their campuses and in their communities, while also providing them with an opportunity to enhance their leadership skills, at the 2008 National Student-Athlete Development Conference, May 25-29, at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando.

Formerly called the NCAA Student-Athlete Leadership Conference, the new Development Conference has doubled the number of student-athletes who attend from 350 to more than 700.   The switch to a Development Conference is linked to the NCAA core purpose that the educational experience of student-athletes is paramount.  The conference is structured to enhance the skill set and knowledge base of student-athletes, and this year’s curriculum will give the student-athletes more of a voice during the event. 

The conference will be conducted in two sessions, the first May 25-27, with the second scheduled for May 27-29.   Student-athletes from the America-Israel Friendship League will also participate in the activities at this year’s conference.  Over the past 12 years, the conference has hosted more than 3,500 student-athletes and trained more than 300 athletic facilitators.

“The purpose of the 2008 National Student-Athlete Development Conference is to help the student-athletes find their voice in order to shape their future, make a commitment to lead on campus and in the community, strengthen the voice of the conference and national Student Athlete Advisory Committee and provide a process to develop a network with other student-athletes who are motivated to create significant, dramatic and positive change,” said Robert Vowels, vice-president of education services at the NCAA. 

“The facilitators and SAAC representatives also play a key role in pushing the student-athletes toward having a successful conference.  With the new focus of the Development Conference, we’ll also place more emphasis on enhancing the leadership skills of the student-athletes which not only helps them in their academic and athletic setting, but also better prepares them for life experiences after they graduate,” said Vowels.

Student-athletes will discuss a variety of topics next week, such as game environment, gender equity, religion in sport, social networking, EKG testing, mental health and nutrition. 

They will also discuss division-specific issues, create dialogue surrounding possible solutions to division-specific issues and discuss potential career direction.  

In addition to the speaker and discussion sessions, the student-athletes will participate in the conference’s first student-athlete expo where media, non-profit and service organizations will discuss volunteer, career and personal development opportunities.

Coaches, athletics administrators and program facilitators will also attend, along with members from each division’s national SAAC.  SAAC is the "voice" of the student-athlete within the NCAA governance structure that provides feedback to NCAA committees and councils regarding student-athlete well-being issues.  Following the national conference, the student-athletes will be asked to share their experiences and topic discussions with their campus SAAC, sports teams and campus leaders.  They will also develop useful tools and solutions to address issues on their campus and in their community. 

Participating student-athletes were selected from a total of 2,000 nomination forms submitted by college and university officials who represent Divisions I, II and III, and fall, winter and spring sports. 

Selection criteria for the conference includes a student-athletes' demonstrated ability and strong desire to be a leader and the student-athletes' potential to benefit significantly from a development experience.  

In order to be eligible for the conference, the student-athletes must adhere to the following requirements:

• be in good academic standing,
• have athletics eligibility remaining in the following academic year,
• must be returning to campus for the following academic year,
• must participate in a NCAA-sponsored sport during the current academic year,
• must demonstrate a desire or the ability to lead, and
• is expected to participate in all conference activities. 

A selection committee chaired by Collin Crick, CHAMPS/Life Skills coordinator at the University of South Carolina, reviewed the nominations to determine the final selections.  This year the committee selected student-athletes from all three divisions, which includes a balanced breakdown by gender and race.