Student-Athletes, Staff Participate in 2021 Black Student-Athlete Summit

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. – Five Boston College student-athletes and three staff members recently participated in the 2021 Black Student-Athlete Summit, hosted by the Heman Sweatt Center for Black Males at the University of Texas at Austin. The three-day event was offered in a virtual format due to COVID-19.

The eighth annual event was created to bring together Black student-athletes, and the staff and administrators who support them, in order to focus on the unique needs of Black student-athletes.

"This was my second opportunity to attend the Black Student-Athlete Summit and it was amazing," said Associate Director of Student-Athlete Academic Services, Da'Mon Merkerson. "The conversations are authentic and ideas shared between professionals are practical. This summit is not just for Black students and Black administrators, it's for all who want to continue to help improve the experience of our student-athletes."

The BC student-athlete participants included Tyler Days (football), Khalifani Green (men's cross country & track and field), Taji Johnson (football), Elijah Jones (football), and Gabby McCaa (volleyball).

"Having the opportunity to attend the Black Student-Athlete Summit was monumental for me in numerous ways," said Green, a senior. "One example of those ways was how encouraging it was to see hundreds of athletes who are in similar situations as me and how they handled difficulties. Receiving advice on life after college, connections made, and lessons learned all encompassed a great overall experience."

The theme of this year's summit was 'The Black Student-Athlete: Woke! Now What?' and aimed to "position [black student-athletes] to further develop in ways that will promote not only their well-being, but the well-being of their peers, families, and communities. We must ensure that they have the practical leadership skills to be effective change agents on campus and beyond."

Student-athlete participants also had the opportunity to complete a leadership certificate. McCaa, a sophomore, said the summit allowed her to learn about post-grad opportunities, branding, traveling abroad, networking and administrative opportunities.

"I am walking away with confidence that through this summit I have grown on a personal level and I look forward to sharing this with others," McCaa said.

Over the course of the summit, staff and administrators participated in many workshops and panel discussions that offered resources and skills to be the best allies and support systems for the Black student-athlete population at their respective institutions.

"This was my first time attending the Black Student-Athlete Summit and I must say that it was one of the most rewarding professional development experiences I have had the pleasure of attending," said Caitlin Barros, Assistant Director of Student-Athlete Development. "Despite the challenges of establishing connections through the virtual format, the love and support were clearly felt throughout the conference. I learned so much that I will bring to the Heights and to our black student-athletes at BC."

Days, a redshirt sophomore, shared that he had a terrific experience at the summit:

"The Black Student-Athlete Summit was a place and community that reflected on what some black students and student-athletes face every day. Whether it's stigmas, systemic racism, disadvantages because of the color of our skin, the mental aspect that we face, and also the extra burden that is placed on us to succeed in this world." Days added, however, that the summit also helped them visualize how to take the next steps to change the culture or help cultivate not only universities but society as a whole.

"It gave us that power from people that look like us that we needed and that we don't often get here. The summit emphasized using your resources to help build your brand and personal development. Incorporating what we've learned from being athletes and our own personal journeys and creating a toolbox to help navigate through obstacles. This event reiterated that we are more than physical bodies and bigger than the box that they try to squeeze us into."

The group of student-athletes and administrators' participants have already met to debrief the summit and discuss take-a-ways. Everyone is eager to share what they have learned with the BC Athletics family.

Student-Athletes, Staff Participate in 2021 Black Student-Athlete Summit

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