BIG EAST, Seton Hall to Host Sixth Student-Athlete Well-Being Forum
In its continuing efforts to bolster the mental wellness of student-athletes, coaches and administrators, the BIG EAST Conference and Seton Hall University will team up to host the conference’s sixth annual Student-Athlete Well-Being Forum on June 4-5 on the Seton Hall campus.
www.bigeast.com
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NEW YORK (June 3, 2024) – In its continuing efforts to bolster the mental wellness of student-athletes, coaches and administrators, the BIG EAST Conference and Seton Hall University will team up to host the conference’s sixth annual Student-Athlete Well-Being Forum on June 4-5 on the Seton Hall campus.
The 2024 Forum will focus on supporting coaches in their efforts to lead student-athletes, maintain their own well-being and that of their staffs, and assist their schools in providing adequate resources to address ongoing mental wellness needs. The event will draw a broad group of attendees, including industry leaders, coaches, mental health specialists, athletic trainers, faculty, athletic administrators and student-athletes.
Prior Well-Being Forums were held at Xavier University (2023), the University of Connecticut (2022), Providence College (2019), Butler University (2018) and Georgetown University (2017). The event was suspended in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We look forward to staging our sixth Well-Being Forum and furthering our efforts to help our athletes juggle the demands of sports, academics, extracurricular activities (including NIL pursuits) and everyday life,” said BIG EAST Commissioner Val Ackerman. “This year's program will highlight the evolving nature of student-athlete pressure points and the many ways in which coaches can address and promote mental wellness through awareness, training and self-care.”
Following opening remarks by Ackerman, the Forum’s first session, entitled “Mental Health Best Practices: Understanding and Supporting Student-Athlete Mental Health,” will be run by Alecia Fine, Associate Director of Health Promotion for the NCAA Sport Science Institute.
The Forum’s first panel is scheduled to begin at 1:45 p.m. ET and will address the unique challenges faced by students in balancing academic pursuits, athletic commitments, and personal growth. The conversation will be used as a platform for students, coaches, administrators, and healthcare professionals to explore holistic approaches to mental wellness within campus communities. Leading the discussions will be Ralph Reiff, Sr. Associate AD for Student-Athlete Health, Performance and Well-Being at Butler University, and Dr. Mark Pettus, Chief Medical Officer, Preventia.
The program will continue at 3 p.m. with a forum led by Celine Mangan, Vice President of ASP College at Altius Sports Partners and Carly Tower, Director, ASP College at Altius Sports Partners, focusing on the impact of name, image and likeness on team dynamics.
Tuesday’s featured speaker, Ivy Watts, who is trained in in the national Mental Health First Aid program, will close out the session by providing tools to help coaches and administrators recognize warning signs, have impactful conversations with their student-athletes, and implement self-care practices during their day-to-day routines.
Following a continental breakfast, the program will continue Wednesday at 8:30 a.m.
The keynote speaker on Wednesday is Betsy Butterick. Known as “The Coaches Coach,” Butterick meets individuals where they are and supports their growth and evolution, including through communications effectiveness. During the morning session, entitled “Relating to Today’s Student-Athlete: Effectively Coaching Gen Z,” participants will be presented with actionable ways to improve their communications skills with the college-aged demographic.
After a short break, participants will return for a conversation between BIG EAST Commissioner Ackerman and Dan Hurley, 2024 Naismith Werner Ladder national Coach of the Year and head coach of the back-to-back men’s basketball national champion UConn Huskies.
The Forum will be emceed by John Fanta, an announcer for FOX Sports and the BIG EAST Digital Network.
The BIG EAST:
The BIG EAST Conference is an association of 11 nationally prominent colleges and universities that foster healthy athletic competition, community service and the pursuit of excellence in academic environments. The BIG EAST-sponsored athletic programs of our institutions provide national-caliber participation opportunities for more than 3,800 student-athletes on over 200 men’s and women’s teams in 22 sports. Established in 1979 and headquartered in New York City, the BIG EAST’s members are located in eight of the country’s top 36 largest media markets and include Butler University, University of Connecticut, Creighton University, DePaul University, Georgetown University, Marquette University, Providence College, St. John’s University, Seton Hall University, Villanova University and Xavier University. For more information, visit www.bigeast.com.
