General | 6/9/2025 10:30:00 AM
DURHAM, N.C. – The NCAA’s Career In Sports Forum turned out to be an eye-opener for North Carolina Central student-athletes Joy Harris and Nyla Rodgers.
They were among the150-plus student-athletes who attended the four-day career development event held in Indianapolis in late May. The forum focused on self-empowerment, network opportunities, leadership skills and career options in the sports industry through workshops and panel discussions.
The event, attended by third-, fourth- and fifth-year student-athletes interested in a sports professional career, was transformative to say the least.
“Going to the Career in Sports Forum was honestly a life-changing experience for me,” said Rodgers, an NCCU softball infielder. “I’m usually pretty shy and tend to avoid things like this, but I’m so glad I pushed myself to go. The forum challenges you to step out of your comfort zone, and if I hadn’t gone, I wouldn’t have met so many amazing, like-minded people or found the confidence to go after the career I really want.”
The event featured group exercises that encouraged student-athletes of diverse backgrounds to communicate with each other and think critically. The forum presented various guest speakers including Joey Graziano III, executive vice president of strategy and new business ventures for Pacers Sports and Entertainment, and Lacee’ Carmon-Johnson, director of basketball advancement for the NBA’s Toronto Raptors.
Jennifer Lynne Williams, chief development officer at USA Basketball, was the emcee for the event, which prepares student-athletes for a career in the sports industry when their collegiate playing days are done.
The guest speakers inspired the student-athletes and provided insight into the sports business. Their messages resonated with Rodgers and Harris.
“One quote that stuck with me the whole time was, ‘Championship rings don’t go on smooth hands,'” Rodgers said. “It reminded me that success takes grit and hard work, something I’ll definitely keep in mind as I keep working toward my goals.”
Rodgers, a sports medicine major, is on track to graduate in December 2025. Harris, a thrower on the women’s track & field team, received her Master of Science in kinesiology and recreation administration last month.
“The NCAA Career In Sports Forum was an amazing opportunity for me and other like-minded individuals to learn more about the sports realm in the business aspect,” said Harris, who was the 2024-25 NCCU Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Co-President. “This forum provided insight into careers outside of the typical coaching and athlete roles and gave a more in-depth look at what other fields had to offer. Overall, I had a wonderful time and learned so much in the process.”
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