Conference Carolinas Selects Deja Attaway for NCAA Leadership Forum

Converse College’s Deja Attaway is one of three students who have been chosen by Conference Carolinas to attend the 2016 NCAA Student-Athlete Leadership Forum held April 7-10 in Phoenix, Ariz.

The Student-Athlete Leadership Forum is an annual educational opportunity for student-athletes exhibiting leadership and positive influence on campus and within the community. The NCAA created the Leadership Forum in 1997 as an opportunity to provide a platform for student-athletes to network and return to campus with invaluable leadership skills.  Three Conference Carolinas student-athletes along with an administrator from the Conference office are selected annually by the Conference to attend the Leadership Forum.

“This will be a wonderful experience for myself, Converse College and Conference Carolinas.”

Attaway, a junior from Fountain Inn, S.C., is a sprinter on the Valkyries’ track & field team. Her career highlight thus far is being a member of the 4x100m relay team that set a school record in the event at the Charlotte 49er Classic her sophomore year. She has also been a 2013 and 2014 member of Converse’s Dean’s List.

“This will be a wonderful experience for myself, Converse College and Conference Carolinas,” said Attaway when asked about being able to attend the Leadership Forum. “Being able to attend an event that is setup to teach me new leadership skills and improve my current skills is more than I could ever ask for. I just want to thank the Conference and Converse for this opportunity.”

Attaway will be joined by Barton College’s Nick Ellison and University of Mount Olive’s Julia Kaeding. A junior hailing from Westminster, Md, Ellison is a member of the Barton men’s basketball team. Ellison is a vital part of the Barton College Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and was among the record 257 nominees for the 2016 NABC and WBCA Good Works Teams. Keading, a sophomore from Hamburg, Germany, is a member of the Trojans women’s golf team. She has been instrumental in the Trojans’ success during the 2016 season, which includes a pair of first-place team finishes at the Hilton Head Lakes Invitational and Barton Intercollegiate.

Conference Carolinas’ Assistant Commissioner for Strategic Communications Sharod Williams will accompany the students at the conference.