PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The AC Hotel in Worcester, Massachusetts was the site of the inaugural Little East Conference (LEC) Students Athletes of Color Summit Sunday, March 26. The day-long program convened student-athletes from across the LEC’s campuses, and concluded with the emergence of a permanent name for the group that was determined by the student-athletes in attendance – “LEC Undivided.”
A keynote address by Ivy Watts, renowned for her work with student-athletes on empowerment and mental health, highlighted the morning’s programming. A former NCAA Division II all-American, Watts used a number of personal examples to help demonstrate how to address the unique challenges student-athletes may face when addressing their mental health concerns, including the potential hurdles based on their cultural background or race. She provided tools for how to utilize self-care, communities, and other resources to overcome these hurdles and gain the necessary support for holistic wellness.
The afternoon’s activities, facilitated by UMass Boston Vice Chancellor of Athletics and Recreation Jacqui Schuman and UMass Dartmouth Director of Athletics Lori Hendricks, saw the student athletes go to work in creating an organization that would allow them to regularly engage as a community. A process to select a name resulted in “LEC Undivided,” intended to reflect that the group is “one unit, no matter our color or differences.”
“I am so proud of our student-athletes and what they accomplished at the Summit,” said LEC Commissioner Pam Samuelson. “They were actively engaged and did outstanding work in charting a course for the future of the group. Jacqui and Lori were masterful in leading the discussion, and I look forward to the next step for the student-athletes of creating a vision and mission for LEC Undivided.”
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