Student Athlete Advisory Committee
The Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) is a committee made up of student-athletes assembled to provide insight on the student-athlete experience. The SAAC also offers input on the rules, regulations and polices that affect student-athletes' lives on NCAA member institution campuses.
A representative from each team will comprise the Committee in 2008-09.
Three Knights Represent Arcadia at NCAA DIII Student-Athlete Leadership Conference
Glenside, PA - 10/28/08: Senior Kiersten Hughes (Mt. Ephraim, NJ/Audubon High School), and sophomores Alexis Alfonso (Cape May, NJ/Lower Cape May) and Virginia Buechel (Sparta, NJ/Sparta High School) represented Arcadia University at the 2008 NCAA Division III Student-Athlete Leadership Conference, held October 3rd through 5th in Pittsburgh, PA.
While in Pittsburgh, Hughes, Alfonso and Buechel, along with Assistant Director of Athletics and Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) Advisor, Joy Zazzera, collaborated with other student-athletes and institutional administration to develop critical thinking and leadership skills. The conference, titled, Connecting the Rhythms of Leadership, prepares student-athletes for leadership in a diverse and dynamic society.
The student-athletes worked together with coaches, administrators and NCAA staff members to facilitate critical dialogue centered on leadership, addressing Division III specific issues and createing partnerships in order to impact positive change at the campus, conference and divisional level.
Discussions included topics of local and national interest to the 61 NCAA schools in attendance. The Arcadia group teamed with four other Middle Atlantic States Collegiate Athletic Corp. schools (Alvernia, Eastern, FDU-Florham, King's, Lebanon Valley, Elizabethtown) to discuss issues specific to the MASCAC while presenting the action plan they hope to implement on campus.
Hughes, Alfonso and Buechel will present their plan to the Arcadia's SAAC in order to begin its implementation this semester. The goal of the two-fold action plan is to offer leadership development through a bi-annual series of seminars focused on helping student-athletes become more effective leaders on their teams and in their lives outside of sports, while creating a more defined integration among all 14 athletic teams. This part of the action plan will center on team and individual student-athlete involvment on campus and in the community in order to have all teams equally recognized for their contributions to Arcadia and the surrounding communities.
Hughes '09, who majors in Criminal Justice, is a four year member of the softball team, participated on the swim team for two years and is involved in orientation activities on campus as well as a SAAC representative for her team. Alfonso '11, an Art major, is in his second season on the men's basketball team and an active participant on Arcadia's SAAC, while Buechel '11, who also plays an active role on SAAC, majors in History, while competing on the softball team.
Division III is committed to student-athlete well-being, a key priority of the Division III Strategic Plan. The divisional leadership conferences are designed to encourage student-athletes to become confident change agents on their campuses and in their communities and to provide a forum for student-athletes, coaches, administrators and faculty to build partnerships, develop leadership skills, and discuss Division III issues that impact student-athletes.
Division III SAAC Mission Statement
The mission of the NCAA Division III Student-Athlete Advisory Committee(SAAC) is to enhance the total student-athlete experience by promoting opportunity for all student-athletes; protecting student-athlete welfare; and fostering a positive student-athlete image, while maintaining the tenants of the Division III philosophy.
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