Big East Conference

BIG EAST, Providence Host Third Annual Student-Athlete Well Being Forum

6/5/2019 3:44:46 PM

NEW YORK – The BIG EAST Conference and Providence College will host its annual Student-Athlete Well Being Forum on June 10-11 on the Providence campus.

The BIG EAST is conducting the event for a third straight year.  The Student-Athlete Well Being Forum features a diverse group of attendees, including industry leaders, campus counselors, coaches, doctors, athletic trainers, faculty and athletic administrators, and the BIG EAST Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).  

The Forum focuses on the growing issues that affect the overall well being of student-athletes, including stress, sleep, injuries, mental wellness and other health matters.  Speakers will detail best practices developed by the NCAA and BIG EAST institutions to ensure that adequate resources are accessible and made aware to all student-athletes.  The Student-Athlete Well Being Forum was held at Butler University last year and at Georgetown University two years ago.  
 
“We look forward to building on our two prior forums as we strive to help BIG EAST student-athletes juggle the demands of athletics, academics and daily life,” said BIG EAST Commissioner Val Ackerman.  “Our program this year will include a renewed focus on the role of coaches in identifying and managing the full spectrum of student-athlete pressures and needs.”

Bob Driscoll, Providence College Director of Athletics, will host a reception for all of the participants on the evening of June 10.

Leading up to the Forum, the BIG EAST SAAC led a social media campaign advocating to end the stigma associated with mental illness. Through the #BEtalktome campaign, SAAC student-athletes from the 10 member institutions filmed selfie video logs on why mental health is important to college campuses today. These messages were amplified through the @BIGEAST main Twitter handle and associated to the national mental health awareness campaigns #EndTheStigma and #IWillListen.

The speakers for the Student-Athlete Well Being Forum include Matt Kudish, Executive Director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) of New York City.  A respected speaker and educator, Kudish’s work focuses on serving New Yorkers living with mental illness through innovative programming and partnerships with community-focused organizations. 

Kym and Mark Hilinski will tell the story of their son Tyler, a quarterback on the Washington State football team who died by suicide in 2018.  The family has created Hilinski’s Hope, a non-profit foundation with the goal of keeping Tyler’s memory alive and generating the funding necessary to support programs that will destigmatize mental illness.  Hillinski Hope is teaming up with the NCAA Sports Science Institute to promote mental wellness in college sports.

John Rock, Providence College Sr. Assoc. Athletic Director/Health and Wellness is one of the participants in a panel discussion – The Importance of Supporting Mental Wellness and Providing Resources.  Rock will speak to some of the features available at the new Ruane Friar Development Center which include an innovation lab that has state-of-the-art equipment to enhance physical and mental wellness. 
   
Three breakout sessions will be held for coaches, student-athletes and campus administrators, respectively.  The topics will include the relationship between sleep and mental health and coping with the stresses of being a Division I athlete.   
     
The BIG EAST:
BIG EAST Conference is an association of ten nationally prominent colleges and universities that foster healthy athletic competition, community service and the pursuit of excellence in academic environments.  The athletic programs of BIG EAST institutions provide national-caliber participation opportunities for more than 3,500 student-athletes on over 180 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 seven of the country’s top 36 largest media markets and include Butler University, 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.