Hempstead, NY - Hofstra University student-athletes Sorelle Ineza (women's basketball) and Gavin Jones (men's track) had the opportunity to participate in the 2022 NCAA Career in Sports Forum, which took place at the NCAA Headquarters in Indianapolis, Indiana June 2-5. 

The 2022 Career in Sports Forum brought together selected NCAA student-athletes to learn about and explore potential careers in sports, particularly college athletics. This unique experience helped student-athletes chart their career paths, while presenting numerous opportunities for attendees to learn from current industry leaders.

The forum allowed attendees to network with peers and decision-makers at the campus, conference, and national level of college athletics. Participants were educated on how personal strengths intersect with career opportunities, were provided with tangible experiences that pushed them forward in their aspiration for a career in sports, explored professional and career development strategies to help the transition to a career in the sport industry, and learned about the roles of an intercollegiate coach, athletics administrator and national governing body staff member.

In addition, notable speakers covered the following topics and prepared attendees for success navigating their futures: self-awareness and its role in professional development; practical approaches to the sports job search; personal branding; developing a career plan; and managing yourself as a professional in the sports industry. Through panels, engaging breakout discussions, keynote presentations and facilitated dialogues, program participants walked away from their experience with a thorough understanding of athletics as a career path and where they fit into the industry's landscape. 

"I would define my time at the NCAA Career in Sports Forum as an unforgettable experience," mentioned Ineza. "At first I was nervous and didn't know what to expect, but I started to learn so much from the guest speakers and my peers which allowed me to grow. My favorite part was making connections and building relationships with other student-athletes and hearing their stories! Now, I feel ready, prepared, and know what it takes to succeed as a professional in the sports industry."

"This weekend at the NCAA Career in Sports Forum was quite honestly one of the most enlightened and wholesome experiences I've had in all my years as a student-athlete," remarked Jones, who attended the forum for the second-straight year. "Throughout the weekend, I was able to meet 200 other like-minded students all striving for a career in the world of sports and that made me feel so much more comfortable with my own goals and ambitions for the future. We spoke about embracing our identities as well as building and maintaining the relationships made so that we could all support and aid each other in the future. After speaking to so many collegiate and professional sports coaches and executives it gave me a true insight into what life is like and how as a student-athlete, I have the platform to impact the sports industry in so many different ways. I had a beautiful time at the NCAA Headquarters and in the city of Indianapolis and have zero regrets about applying and spending my time there."