The Black Student-Athlete Summit (BSAS), a four-day conference that brings together student-athletes, university professionals, and leaders from various industries, will take place in Chicago from May 21-24. The summit was launched in 2015 by Dr. Leonard Moore, the George Littlefield Professor of American History and a Distinguished Teaching Professor at the University of Texas at Austin. The event provides student-athletes with professional and personal development resources to promote success after graduation, and helps them foster community.
When Moore was a doctoral student at Ohio State University in the mid-1990s, a friend invited him to tutor some of the school’s student-athletes. “The more time I spent with student-athletes on the basketball, track, and football teams, I began to realize there was a whole other world that I wasn’t aware of — the stress, the anxiety, the pressure to perform…and also pressure from community and family,” said Moore.
After completing his PhD and becoming a faculty member in 1998 — first at Louisiana State University and now at UT Austin — Moore has made it a point to connect with student-athletes. About 12 years ago, he began to envision a summit. The first BSAS was held at UT Austin.
“We had 70 people,” Moore recalled. “Initially, it was designed for administrators and professors who worked with the athletes, but it became clear we had two audiences: administrators and students.”
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Despite the growing attendance — this year may reach 2,000 participants — the goal for the BSAS is to maintain a family-type culture. Moore said that overall, college athletic administrators have been extremely supportive.
Among the notable speakers and participants expected at this year’s BSAS are former NBA All-Star Baron Davis, journalist Jemele Hill, Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion officer Lesley Slaton Brown, former WNBA standout and current broadcaster and Atlanta Dream Vice President Renee Montgomery, and former professional basketball player-turned-educator and actor, Dr. Solomon Hughes.
The student-athletes are surrounded by Black professionals, many of whom played college and pro sports, and hear stories about how to translate the student-athlete experience into the work world.
“Our goal is to help prepare them to be globally competitive when they graduate,” said Moore. “Whether it’s D II, D III, or Division I, their sport requires a year-round commitment, and a lot of them are on campus in the summer, so they don’t have time to study abroad, do internships, connect, or be a regular student. So, for these four days, we try to hone in on mental health and wellness, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship, social action, and professional development.”