INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Benedict College Student-Athlete Social Media Intern Damien McCree attended the NCAA Emerging Leaders Seminar last week.
 
Hosted by the NCAA leadership development staff, the three-day event welcomed more than 160 interns and graduate assistants from NCAA member schools, conference offices and affiliate organizations to the national office from Jan. 28-30.
 
"The 2026 NCAA Emerging Leaders Seminar was an impactful experience that challenged me to grow both personally and professionally," McCree said. "I was honored to learn from leaders in sports from campuses across the nation as they shared valuable insight during educational sessions.
 
"Through meaningful networking, I built genuine relationships with colleagues I can lean on for support and collaboration. The seminar helped us better understand who we are as individuals so we can show up as the best versions of ourselves.
 
"Through attending the NCAA Emerging Leaders Seminar, I now have a stronger understanding of how to utilize my strengths to make a greater impact in sports and in my community."
 
McCree, a 2024 graduate of Benedict College, handles graphic design, photography, and oversees the social media accounts for Benedict athletics.
 
The professional development event, held every year since 2008, provides leadership, educational and transitional programming for selected participants. This year's theme, Fueling Your Leadership, emphasized empowering attendees to understand their leadership style, navigate change and prepare for future career missions through hands-on skill-building experiences. Attendees also participated in community service by leaving encouraging messages and bookmarks in books for children that were later donated to the Catch the Stars Foundation, a nonprofit founded by Indiana basketball legend Tamika Catchings.
 
"As a product of ELS myself, this time of year will always be one of my favorites. This program is a vessel for possibility, a glimpse of what could be on the horizon. From the light-bulb moments to the lifelong friendships that take root over these three days, something special happens here," said Ashley Jocelyn, assistant director of leadership development. I love that young professionals have a space where they can be poured into and surrounded by like-minded peers who are hungry to grow, lead, and make an impact.  This is their "takeoff" season of life; this helps them fuel it with intention."
 
Attendees engaged with NCAA staff and industry professionals through breakout sessions, panel discussions and a networking reception. Some sessions provided insight into different areas of the industry, such as academics and student-athlete development.
 
A multiround breakout experience, Career Constellations, offered exposure to 12 sectors of college athletics — including compliance, NIL, communications, sports medicine, fundraising and coaching.
 
Other sessions provided tips for personal and professional development, covering a wide range of topics like mentorship and relationship management, personal branding and interview best practices. The Crew Calibration behavioral style workshop helped attendees understand how their communication and behavioral tendencies impact teams and group dynamics.
 
In a group case study activity, attendees were tasked with creating solutions for common concerns within college athletics departments. Each group delivered final presentations to a panel of experts during their Launchpad Round 3 — Final Mission session.
 
This year's keynote style sessions and featured speakers included:
• Mike Smith, keynote speaker for When Worlds Collide: inspired learners to live fearlessly, harness passion and design a life of intention.
• Felicia Martin, NCAA senior vice president of inclusion, education and community engagement: delivered Navigating Your Solar System, focusing on managing change and making effective decisions.
• Kristia Worthy, talent acquisition manager at Yum! Brands: led Launching Your Next Mission, guiding learners through best practices for mapping their professional next steps.
• Desireé Reed-Francois, director of athletics at Arizona: shared leadership insights during Views from Command Deck.
• Mark Trumbo, NCAA director of leadership development: closed the event with Finding Your North Star, encouraging learners to pursue purpose and appreciate their growth.
 
Across all three days, the Emerging Leaders Seminar encouraged attendees to push beyond their comfort zones, build meaningful relationships, and identify the leadership superpowers that will guide them through their careers in college athletics.
 
"I'm incredibly proud of our 2026 Emerging Leaders. Our role is to create a space for learners to uncover their purpose and to reconnect with why they entered this industry in the first place," said Lucie Morris, NCAA leadership development postgraduate intern. "This seminar is about helping learners understand that their purpose will always be bigger than any job title. When they lead from that truth, they take up space with courage, intention, and heart, and this group did exactly that."