She was one of just 200 student-athletes from all three NCAA divisions, the only student-athlete from the Western Athletic Conference, selected to attend the four-day conference at NCAA headquarters.
“The NCAA Career in Sports Forum was an incredible experience that I am very grateful for,” said Coluccio. “At the forum, I became friends with student-athletes from across the country, from different divisions, and different sports. It was empowering being in a group of like-minded individuals who have the same passion for athletics with the same desire to give back to the game.”
The June 2-5 event gave student-athletes a networking opportunity with current athletics professionals and the opportunity to hear from those in the field while also networking with their peers. Those in attendance had the unique opportunity to see what a career in sports could look like from those in the industry and at the national office.
“The forum covered topics like personal development – self-branding and emotional intelligence – and we had the privilege of attending sessions led by NCAA administrators, coaches from different sports and divisions, and ESPN broadcasters and affiliates. Every presenter detailed the journey to their current position in athletics whether that was in academic advising, life skills, fundraising and development, compliance, or as a coach, conference administrator, athletics director, or broadcaster.”
Each attendee for the prestigious annual event is nominated by his or her institution and then directed to apply, after which their application must be accepted by the NCAA.
“Approaching graduation and the end of my time at Seattle U, the forum was an excellent capstone event that allowed me to gain perspective on how I can take my experiences, lessons, and skills on and off the pitch and make them transferrable to the workplace. The construct of being a selfless team member and an impact player – someone who makes the people around them better – drove me throughout my time at SU and I plan on continuing to live life this way.”
“There’s a difference between knowing what you want to do in life and why you want to do it; when you know your “why”, your “what” has more impact. I know I want to be a positive influence in other people’s lives and assist in nurturing others’ passion for athletics, because the sport of soccer has given me so much. The NCAA Career in Sports Forum re-affirmed this notion for me and I am excited to take the lessons learned over the weekend into my next phase of life.”
For more information on the annual forum, visit the NCAA website HERE.