Black Student Athlete Summit has powerful impact on Texas State attendees
Jayme Blaschke | July 31, 2023
Two Texas State University student-athletes and a graduate transfer participated in the Black Student Athlete Summit at the University of Southern California.
Josh Emmauel, a junior on the football team majoring in psychology; Lauryn Thompson, a former women’s basketball player and second year graduate student in interdisciplinary studies; and Christian Rorie, a former football player at Duke University and first year graduate student in business; accompanied Marcus W. Johnson, Ph.D., an associate professor in the Curriculum and Instruction Department in the College of Education, to the summit. The trip was an outgrowth of a student-athlete graduate mentoring program developed by Johnson to assist student-athletes improve their awareness and navigation of the graduate school process.
“One demographic not traditionally associated with scholastic endeavors are student-athletes; yet, when presented genuine opportunities to engage within the educational field, let alone be seen as valuable contributors, much of their acumen and other hidden qualities flourish,” Johnson explained. “My time as a graduate student both at Texas Christian University and the University of Texas at Austin was spent working in athletic academic offices where I gained intimate knowledge of the ‘everydayness’ and broader scope of being a collegiate student-athlete.”
Johnson has participated and helped facilitate sessions and presentations for the BSA Summit since its inception in 2015. Witnessing its growth in that time, he said, has been nothing short of amazing. The students who have accompanied him report overwhelmingly positive experiences.
“I found being in a room with athletes who come from PWIs (Predominantly White Institutions) as well as HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities), we still shared similar experiences as Black student-athletes being a part of American institutions,” Thompson said. “I was uplifted by my brothers and sisters, as well as professionals, who have created their own journeys and had to go through trials and tribulations as well.
“The stories we shared and memories we created will last a lifetime. I was able to gain knowledge, hear different perspectives, as well as create bonds with people from all across the world,” she said. “I returned back to my university a better leader, Black student-athlete and member in my community because of the bravery of the professionals who created BSA Summit.”
Emmanuel cited the “All the Smoke” seminar led by former NBA player Matt Barnes and the “Lucky Me” seminar conducted by Rich Paul, CEO of Klutch Sports Group, as particular standouts for him. Through them, Emmanuel learned to embrace adversity and authenticity when networking.
“The BSA Summit was nothing short of an amazing experience. The most valuable aspect of this event was the community of Black student-athletes and staff,” Emmanuel said. “Being in the atmosphere of Black culture and connecting with like-minded people made this experience rewarding for me as a student-athlete.
“Attending this summit improved my professional and academic skills in many ways—from the seminars, professional sessions, table talks, engaging activities and networking opportunities,” he said. “Everything from this summit was impactful and revealed valuable information that is not usually taught to Black student-athletes.”
Rorie, who recently transferred to Texas State, directly participated as a session speaker, sharing his experiences on economic opportunities for student-athletes. He said the lessons learned from the speakers at the BSA Summitt—not to mention the networking opportunities with other young leaders and industry professionals—would serve him well in his future career.
“I spoke on financial literacy concerning Name, Image and Likeness (NIL). I also tied it into prioritizing generational wealth,” Rorie said. “That paved the way for opportunities within wealth management and consulting,” he said. “I am grateful. It was my first conference speech, so it will be a treasured memory.
“I was able to create authentic relationships with student-athletes from across the country. From the top athletic schools to the Ivy League, there were representatives from all levels,” Rorie said. “Talking to the professionals and gaining advice and perspective on the professional route was invaluable. I am now more confident in my path after hearing their stories.”
Networking, inspiration and encouragement were the overriding themes cited by the Texas State contingent. Connecting with a larger community sharing similar life experiences and insights has the potential to pay dividends for years to come.
“Being able to attend the BSA Summit motivated me to return to my university and continue to be a light for all student-athletes,” Thompson said. “I was able to be uplifted and finally feel seen for my accomplishments I’ve done at my school and in life. Those days at the event were life-changing, as being in a room with that many like-minded people who looked/thought like me seemed like a dream.”
About the Black Student Athlete Summit
Founded by Leonard Moore, Ph.D., the BSA Summit brings together more than 1,200 Black student-athletes, professionals and influencers from the world of college athletics to ensure greater support for Black student-athletes in the classroom and beyond so they can be globally competitive in the job market. For more information, visit https://bsasummit.org/.
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For more information, contact University Communications:Jayme Blaschke, 512-245-2555 Sandy Pantlik, 512-245-2922 |