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Colgate University Athletics

Black Student-Athlete Summit

Football Omar Ricardo Aquije

Colgate group attends Black Student-Athlete Summit

Event aims to enhance the college experience for Black student-athletes

A Colgate contingent attended the annual Black Student-Athlete Summit, a three-day event in Houston, with the goal of enhancing the college experience for Black student-athletes.

The summit, hosted by Rice University from May 23-25, brings together hundreds of Black student-athletes and athletics administrators who support their experiences, to engage in workshops, speeches, and networking.

The summit also aims to provide professional staff with tools to create initiatives on their campuses to help Black student-athletes thrive, and to help position them as prepared and competitive candidates in the global workforce beyond graduation.

Colgate's representatives included three student-athletes — Tiasia McMillan '24, a sociology major from Seffner, Fla.; Nicolas Louis-Jacques '25, who is undeclared as a rising sophomore, and hails from Miami; and Ja-lon Perkins '24, an educational studies major from Allentown, Pa. 

Joining them were Meghan Kovac, Assistant Athletics Director for Student-Athlete Development; Deja Parker, Athletics Administration Fellow; Juliana Smith, Deputy Athletics Director, and Dorsey Spencer, Colgate's Dean of Students.

Smith said the summit is an important event for student-athletes and staff.

"It is the only gathering of scholars, practitioners, and student-athletes that I am aware of that focuses on the experiences of Black student-athletes across sports, institutions, and NCAA divisions," she said. 

Kovac said one of the best aspects of the summit was the opportunity for Colgate student-athletes to connect with other student-athletes from across the country, listen to what they're doing at their campuses and connect over shared experiences. 

"Overall the summit was a tremendous opportunity for our student-athletes and staff to connect, listen and dive into conversations regarding the Black student-athlete experience," Kovac said.
 
Sessions for student-athletes covered topics like self-care, exploring life outside the athletic bubble, isolation, and dealing with exhaustion and injuries. 
 
The forums, discussions, and workshops that were open to all participants covered topics such as mental health, racial conflict, Black student-athletes at elite colleges, and changing the culture within college athletics. 
 
McMillan, a forward on the women's basketball team, said she chose to attend the summit because it would be a great educational and networking opportunity. 
 
"The event was a great experience and I think it exceeded a lot of our expectations," she said. "I enjoyed hearing people's stories and seeing where they came from and what they accomplished. It was really inspiring and motivational to hear about their upbringings and how they persevered through adversity."
 
Perkins, a defensive lineman on the football team, said the main takeaway he got from the event was the importance of making the campus a better place for current and future Black student-athletes. 
 
"I now feel inspired after hearing about the shortcomings of other universities to make Colgate better for the overall Black experience because I do feel like we have the resources and support to do so," Perkins said. 
 
Nicki Moore, Vice President and Director of Athletics, said about the summit, "Colgate Athletics has made an annual commitment to sending student-athletes, coaches, and administrators to the Black Student-Athlete Summit. Some of the challenges and experiences of Black student-athletes on a campus like Colgate are unique and require different kinds of support. The BSAS consistently provides new and research-supported strategies for doing just that, as well as inspiration to persevere, and a community that extends well beyond the confines of the summit."
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Players Mentioned

Ja-lon Perkins

#92 Ja-lon Perkins

OL
6' 2"
Junior
Tiasia McMillan

#11 Tiasia McMillan

F
6' 0"
Junior
Nicolas Louis-Jacques

#5 Nicolas Louis-Jacques

G
6' 4"
Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Ja-lon Perkins

#92 Ja-lon Perkins

6' 2"
Junior
OL
Tiasia McMillan

#11 Tiasia McMillan

6' 0"
Junior
F
Nicolas Louis-Jacques

#5 Nicolas Louis-Jacques

6' 4"
Sophomore
G