FSU VOLLEYBALL PLAYER TO ATTEND LEADERSHIP EVENT

Bulldogs’ Angie Desmarais Invited To Annual NCAA Foundation Conference

The conference, which will be held May 26-30 at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort in Orlando, Fla., will attract a diverse group of nearly 300 NCAA student-athletes who will meet to discuss key issues that affect them on campus and in their communities. The five-day event is one of the largest non-competitive gatherings of student-athletes throughout the year.

Desmarais was invited to represent the NCAA Division II Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) at the leadership conference. A member of Ferris’ SAAC organization, Desmarais presently serves as the group’s policy chair and Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) representative. She also holds the GLIAC’s National SAAC Representative role and is a member of FSU’s Student Alumni Gold Club and the Public Relations Society of America.

“Being involved as a representative has provided me opportunities to travel and meet people that will forever impact my life and career decisions,” Desmarais said. “Through this experience, I believe I will be able to assess my leadership skills and use the information as a valuable tool in my career path.

“Hopefully, I’ll also be able to take what I’ve learned back to campus to benefit everyone,” she added.

The 5-11 Desmarais tallied 188 digs and 22 service aces while appearing in 32 matches during the 2001 campaign. She started 16 matches and placed fifth among the squad’s leaders in digs per game (1.92). A two-time (2000-01) GLIAC All-Academic selection, Desmarais recorded a personal career high 21 kills and 85 total attempts last fall as FSU compiled a 21-11 overall mark and a second place 12-6 GLIAC North Division finish. A public relations major, she will be one of five seniors on Ferris’ 2002 squad.

The NCAA Foundation Leadership Conference is designed to enhance student-athletes’ leadership and communication skills while enabling them to become more effective leaders and motivators. Many of the participants in the leadership conference are members of NCAA campus SAAC groups, which are assembled to provide insight on the student-athlete experience. The SAAC also offers input on the rules, regulations and policies that affect student-athletes’ lives on NCAA member institution campuses and is the “student voice” in the NCAA’s governance structure.

The conference is an extension of the NCAA’s successful CHAMPS/Life Skills Program - a development program structured to prepare student-athletes for graduation and success in life. In order to be eligible for the conference, the student-athletes must be in good academic standing, have athletics eligibility remaining in the following academic year and have demonstrated an ability or strong desire to be a leader on their campus. Final selections are made by a committee comprised of CHAMPS/Life Skills coordinators from NCAA member institutions and student-athletes charged with identifying an outstanding group of leaders. Toward the conclusion of the leadership conference, the student-athletes will be asked to create a self-directed project to implement on their campus that addresses a critical issue in the university setting.

The inaugural conference sponsored by Entergy Corporation and Walt Disney World Sports was held in May 1997 at Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando. The conference is supported financially by the NCAA Foundation, which was founded in 1988 to generate funds through private gifts in support of programs that enable student-athletes to participate fully in the college community, to achieve successful academic and athletics experiences and to prepare student-athletes to become effective citizens and productive contributors to society.