November's Division II Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Super Region Convention was designed to center the student-athlete voice. Over three days in downtown Denver, it also showed student-athletes and administrators just how far that voice can reach.
Nearly 120 participants, from the South Central and West regions, gathered Nov. 21-23 for a schedule that blended education, reflection and action. Sessions covered the impact of the student-athlete voice, mental health, life after sport and belonging, plus a community engagement activity with Make-A-Wish and Team IMPACT and a keynote on leadership presence.
Throughout the event, student-athletes moved from roundtable conversations to project planning rooms with their conference peers, then back into shared spaces to present ideas designed to strengthen their campuses and conferences.
"I felt an incredible sense of belonging in the community over that weekend," said Maldini Simic, a women's tennis player for Cal State LA. "The overall atmosphere was splendid. Every student-athlete was motivated to make a change."
Seeing results through Make-A-Wish, Team IMPACT
For many, the clearest picture of their influence came during the community engagement activity Saturday afternoon.
Western Colorado track and field student-athlete Ethan VanMeter said hearing directly from families connected to Make-A-Wish and Team IMPACT underscored how student-athletes can change lives far beyond their own locker rooms and competition venues.
"(Their) engagement and testimonies were the most meaningful moments for me," VanMeter said. "It showed how I can use the position I'm in to not only impact my campus but to intimately change the lives of people outside of my direct community."
Simic shared a similar reaction. She described those two presentations as the highlight of her experience, noting how powerful it was to hear what fundraisers and campus events mean to those facing serious illnesses and their families.
"I got an incredible opportunity to hear life-changing stories and how our charity work has contributed to such good in this world," Simic said. "(It) was inspiring to hear both from the parents and the children."
Both student-athletes left with a renewed sense of responsibility. VanMeter said it reinforced that people look up to him, regardless of performance or stats. Simic said the experience reminded her that being a student-athlete is only one part of life and that there are larger challenges in the world that call for a collective response from those with a platform.
"There are much bigger issues in the world, and it is up to us (as a community) to make a difference for those who aren't as privileged," she said.
Programming focused on voice, mental health and belonging
Across the event's sessions, student-athletes were asked to think about who they are, how they lead and what will happen when their playing careers end.
Mental health empowerment speaker and former Division II student-athlete Ivy Watts challenged them to name and normalize the pressures they carry and to see advocacy for themselves and their teammates as a form of strength.
Former Wisconsin and NFL receiver Jonathan Orr, now executive director of Athlete Transition Services, pushed the student-athletes to imagine life after sport and to start building habits and networks that will support them long after their eligibility is over. Leadership expert Justin Patton later reinforced those themes, emphasizing that credibility is built over time through consistent actions.
Belonging expert Curtis Hill invited those in the room to look deeper into their everyday interactions in locker rooms, classrooms and campus spaces. He asked student-athletes to consider how their words, body language and leadership choices either invite others in or keep them at a distance.
VanMeter said Hill's session had a particularly strong effect on how he sees his role as a teammate and campus leader.
"I found that Curtis Hill had the most engaging and best insight," VanMeter said. "I believe that going forward I will be more conscious with what I say, what I want to say and how to say it in a way that creates a tighter-knit community with a strong sense of belonging."
Turning conversations into action
In their planning sessions, student-athletes developed projects tailored to their campus realities but rooted in common themes: mental health, cross-campus connection and inclusion.
VanMeter's group explored ways to expand mental health awareness beyond one campus and into the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. Building on a Hidden Opponent chapter already in place at Western Colorado, the group discussed conferencewide mental health games that would signal solidarity and support for student-athletes in every sport.
They also identified a simple but powerful strategy to build broader belonging: showing up for other students' events. VanMeter said the group talked about attending theater performances, orchestra concerts, art shows and other campus activities.
"This way we can further build a culture of support and belonging on our campus that extends past the athletic department," he said.
Simic's group also focused on improving relationships between student-athletes and the wider student body. Together, they designed a program aimed at creating more intentional interaction and shared support across campus.
"We firmly believe that it's critical to build better relationships between student-athletes and students to help create a better well-being on campus," she said. "I'm extremely excited to take home some of the ideas that me and my group have put together."
Administrators watch leadership grow in real time
For administrators in attendance, the convention offered a front-row seat to student-athlete leadership development and a chance to build their own networks.
Cal State Dominguez Hills student support coordinator Kisha Calbert said the best part of the event was the same as the best part of her job: the students.
"The world has no idea of the brilliance, compassion and passion these young people have for their teammates and the communities around them," Calbert said. "The idea that these young people are selfish, self-centered and only care about what they can get is refuted by what we see and hear at events like this."
Calbert brought along two student-athletes she described as introverts. She added that the two arrived unsure of what to expect and left energized with ideas about advocating for mental health and raising the visibility of student-athlete perspectives on their campus. One student-athlete, she said, returned "emboldened" to help his team engage more with the athletics department and other sports to build a more supportive environment.
She also saw how quickly students could bridge rivalries and unfamiliarity when the focus shifted to shared goals.
"It was great to see them interact with their conference peers on ideas and events that may have worked on their campus," she said. "I am always impressed by their abilities to just jump into conversation with everyone even if they have competed against one another, had rivalries or just had no idea who the other person was."
Calbert noted that the convention also provided value for administrators and expressed a desire for even more time with professional peers to swap ideas, talk through challenges and learn about resources like grants and scholarships that could help bring student projects to life.
"This is one of the best opportunities to show these young people that we are invested and excited in supporting them and we will work with them to see their ideas and thoughts come alive," she said. "I absolutely love being able to see and connect with student-athletes from my conference and others. The best part of my job is the students, and they are always the best part of these events."
Leaving with a louder, more confident voice
By the end of the event, student-athletes said their understanding of the power of their voice had shifted. Simic, who already considers herself someone unafraid to speak up, said the convention reinforced how critical that is and how many others are ready to do the same when given space.
"I noticed my peers were more confident in raising awareness as the days went by," she said. "It was amazing to see so many people passionate about voicing student athletic concerns."
VanMeter said his biggest takeaway was realizing how much people beyond his campus value what he and other student-athletes have to say. The experience made him more determined to speak up when he sees something that needs to change, not just for teammates but for everyone in his campus community.
"It further emboldens me to want to use my voice on campus more and to stand up for any injustices I see," he said.
The atmosphere across the three days reflected that growing confidence and shared purpose.
"Overall, the atmosphere was one of excitement," VanMeter said. "It was cool to look around and see people thinking about how they can bring this back to their campus."
Simic said she felt "an incredible sense of belonging" and was struck by how motivated every student-athlete was to create change.
When asked what she would tell other Division II student-athletes about why the event matters, she kept it simple.
"It is utterly significant to understand that using your voice is the only way of making change," she said.
VanMeter framed the opportunity in terms of both privilege and responsibility.
"This event will make you realize just how unique the position we are in as student-athletes," he said. "We can single-handedly change an entire campus culture."