ABINGTON, Pa. — Taylor LaPage, president of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and a multi-sport player at Penn State Abington, attended the NCAA national convention in Phoenix last month with Erin Foley, the director of Athletics, Intramurals, and Recreation.
“It was incredible realizing that we can be the voice for student-athletes at such a high level. We gave our opinions openly, and we were heard,” LaPage said of the conference, which included representatives from all three levels of NCAA athletics.
“It was not just for coaches and athletic directors. It was so student-oriented, and I got to attend roundtable talks with other Division III student-athletes. We talked about everything from new rules and policies just for DIII schools to our partnership with the Special Olympics,” she said.
The four-day annual meeting featured a diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) forum that LaPage found particularly impactful.
“Afterward, Erin and I discussed the possibility of getting DEI facilitators on campus for national Division III week in April. It would especially be beneficial for our student-athletes since Abington is the most diverse campus within Penn State,” she said.
LaPage said she was pleased to see athletic directors from colleges and universities large and small examine issues and legislation from the perspective of a student-athlete.
“They understand how it affects our student-athletes and our schools, and they took that into consideration. It was very empowering,” she said.