The NCAA Convention from the eyes of a SCAC Student-Athlete - Day Five

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - The Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference is being represented by 18 student-athletes at the 2012 NCAA Convention this week. Made possible through the NCAA Division III Strategic Initiative Grant, the 18 student-athletes will participate in activities ranging from education sessions to business sessions to the NCAA Honors Celebration.

Saturday marked the final day of the 2012 NCAA Convention, and the SCAC 18 attended the morning's business session where 10 different proposals were scheduled to be discussed and debated before a Division-wide vote.

Junior volleyball player Raven Scott of Millsaps College (pictured left) wrote a daily blog throughout the Convention, recapping some of the activities that she and her fellow student-athletes experienced. Below is her entry for Saturday: 

We learned in sessions. We shared our opinions. We met other student-athletes. We networked with school administrators. We met well-renowned and famous athletes. We spoke to our conference leaders. We enjoyed the 2012 NCAA Convention and we brought back our experiences to our schools...

On the last day of the convention, we woke up early, packed our belongings, and prepared to leave after the voting business session. In the session, our only activity for the day, we watched as all Division III representatives voted on the proposed legislation. Although we did not get to vote, we had shared our opinion with administrators earlier in the week and now it was time to see how true to these opinions they were going to vote. Several new legislations were adopted; including redefining key words in the statement of purpose and an overwhelmingly supported proposal for coaches to be able to text recruits.

After the session, we boarded our busses and headed to the airport. We exchanged sorrowful goodbyes but vowed to keep in touch via social media and of course to still battle on the playing field when our schools challenged each other.

The Convention was amazing. We attended with open minds and passion-filled hearts, and left with ideas, conviction, and insight. I am so thankful to the SCAC for this opportunity and for all involved who allowed me to take my student-athlete experiences to the next level. They say Division III athletics is all about the experience. After attending the Convention in the name of my school, conference, and all other Division III student-athletes, I am proud to say that I am getting "the experience," but also so much more. I am glad to be a part of the 400,000 athletes competing in the NCAA, but even more proud to say that through athletics and my school I have been afforded opportunities that I am taking advantage of every single one of them.