Four Bulldogs Participate in Black Student-Athlete Summit

Mississippi State had four student-athletes participate in this year's Black Student-Athlete Summit hosted virtually by the University of Texas from January 6-8.

Football's Scott Lashley and Jaylon Reed as well as soccer's Ky Burroughs and Shayla Felder from track and field participated in the event as part of MSU's Student-Athlete Development program. Along with the four student-athletes, Director of Athletics John Cohen, Deputy A.D./SWA & Chief Diversity Officer Ann Carr, Senior Associate A.D./Student-Athlete Support Services & Executive Director of Athletic Academics Christine Jackson, Assistant Director of Student-Athlete Development Briana Vaughn, Assistant A.D./Counseling and Sport Psychology Dr. Angel Brutus and Assistant Director of Counseling and Sport Psychology Dr. Aaron Goodson also attended.

"Our leadership team and athletic department's commitment to Mississippi State student-athlete wellbeing and life after sport is evident by offering opportunities to attend such events as the Black Student-Athlete Summit," said Jackson. "The speakers and presenters gave great insight on how to equip our student-athletes in the current diversity and inclusion climate as well as giving them a chance to network and build relationships with other student-athletes and administrators across the country. The sessions not only were informative but empowered our student-athletes to know they are more than athletes and their voices matter."

Dr. Brutus and Dr. Goodson, from the department of Counseling and Sport Psychology, spoke on two panels about mental wellness, advocacy and the student-athlete being a key stakeholder during the event. The overall lineup of the conference consisted of individuals from groups such as professional athletes, doctoral candidates, presidents, CEOs, coaches, administrators, professors, law enforcement officers, government officials, authors, researchers and more.

According to Dr. Goodson, the number and diversity of attendees has increased every year since the first Summit in 2015. Although this year's event was different being virtual, "The space was just as effective if not more effective than in years past," said Goodson. "Every year, people leave the conference learning something they didn't know previously and feeling empowered to take it back to their campus."

"The organizers do a really good job of maintaining a pulse of what is happening in the larger community," said Dr. Brutus. "It makes it a very unique space. With this year's emphasis on the concept of, 'Woke. Now what?' which plays off of the current state of affairs in that you have a collective society that is starting to recognize that there is a difference in the way we are experiencing the world, specifically the U.S., understanding that there's a reconciliation that's happening."

The annual event allowed the opportunity for people from around the country to get together and share their personal experiences as student-athletes. Groups also discussed the importance of current trends within collegiate athletics and the need to have an understanding of the current landscape. Each day had networking opportunities for the attendees to meet professionals and other student-athletes.

"They were really encouraging and helpful in directing young athletes on talking about paths to take in certain situations. They talked about dealing with teammates, using our platforms, sponsors and more. There were a bunch of speakers that not only presented with question-and-answer but also on their personal experiences. I think that was more relatable to a lot of us.

"Knowing that you're not alone was a big takeaway. Right now, with everything going on, you feel like it's just you that's being affected, but having almost 800 athletes from all different schools come together, it's nice to know it's not just you in this big world. We're all trying to make a difference together. There are multiple people that are there for you, that understand you, that you didn't realize you had." - Ky Burroughs (soccer)

"The biggest takeaway for me was to learn things outside of sports. You are only in sports for so long, so you need to have a backup plan ready. We need to take advantage of all the resources and opportunities that we have now to set us up for later in life. It was a good experience. I made friends with different student-athletes that I met and networked with during the event. I met people in track, basketball and volleyball that I was able to connect with.

"One of the things I want to apply from the event is developing a program for my high school that prepares student-athletes for actual college. It would focus on things like what you need to prepare for mentally and how to balance the schedule with time management. Things that you would need to prepare for before arriving on campus." - Shayla Felder (track and field)

"The Black Student-Athlete Summit was beautiful, top to bottom. It was relatable and motivational. The information that was given was like none other, it grabbed my attention and interest that brought forth something within myself that I will carry on forever. The Summit was truly an experience that will be treasured for the rest of my life." - Scott Lashley (football)

"It was a different experience. It made me think a lot broader about things. It was also great interacting with other student-athletes from around the country." - Jaylon Reed (football)

Mississippi State University Athletics

Four Bulldogs Participate in Black Student-Athlete Summit

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