Huskers Attend BSAS Summit in Los Angeles

Nebraska student-athletes Deavion DeLeon, Ethan Magee and Ashriel Dixon attended the Black Student Athlete Summit with the Coordinator for Strategic Initiatives Mya Felder from May 23-26. 
 
“The Black Student Athlete Summit was one of the most incredible opportunities I have been a part of,” Felder said. “To be in community and learn from individuals who share similar experiences is truly invaluable. I learned material that I am excited to bring back to my campus. I am energized and encouraged as a result of the discussions and sessions of the Summit.”    
 
Professional and student-athlete joint breakout sessions, hosted on USC’s campus, marked the start of the summit. After the opening sessions, a reception was held at the Downtown Los Angeles hotel to connect with all of the attendees. 
 
On Friday morning, DeLeon, Magee and Dixon got on the bus to begin the first half of the day in the auditorium with the 1500+ summit participants. Multiple panels and discussions filled the morning, before attendees took a lunch break in Alumni Park. A career fair was set up to browse throughout the day, while student-athletes split up and attended different breakout sessions located throughout campus during the afternoon. They capped the night attending a sold out WNBA game, watching the Indiana Fever take on the LA Sparks.
 
“While I was there I learned the power of personal branding and how it’s important to use your voice,” Dixon said “Also in a session called ‘More than an Athlete,’ we were taught how to not only be an athlete but use your spotlight to open up doors for your future job.”
 
Plenary sessions filled Saturday morning and additional breakout sessions filled the afternoon. 
 
“Session leaders and professionals from other schools provided valuable knowledge that I feel will help me in my career and athletics,” Magee said.
 
The student-athletes attended Pro Day, where the BSAS brought in over 100 former student-athletes from a variety of career backgrounds. Current and incoming Big Ten schools gathered for a dinner that night where they could connect and share experiences.
 
The summit concluded on Sunday morning with a last round of panels and discussions.
 
“It was a unique opportunity to connect and meet like-minded individuals across the NCAA but also a great opportunity to hear from those who came before us,” Deavion said. “One of my favorite things to hear about was how to succeed after athletics because it is a reality that athletes will have to face but is not discussed enough.“