INDIANAPOLIS—Sarah Lawrence College men's basketball player
Graham Gilleran (San Francisco, Calif./Archbishop Riordan) was one of more than 200 student-athletes to receive an invitation to attend the NCAA Career in Sports Forum earlier this month. Held June 2-5, at the NCAA's national office in Indianapolis, the 2016 Career in Sports Forum brings together selected student-athletes to learn and explore potential careers in sports, with the primary focus on college athletics.
"I'm thrilled that Graham was able to attend this event," noted Director of Athletics and Physical Education
Kristin Maile. "I'm glad he was able to take advantage of this opportunity and to serve as a representative of Sarah Lawrence."
The four-day forum is designed to assist student-athletes in charting their career paths, as well as provide an opportunity to network and learn from current athletics professionals. Participants heard from a variety of speakers and panelists before collaborating in small-group classroom discussions.
Gilleran was nominated to attend the program by Head Coach
Chris Ehmer. Gilleran's selection was also dependent on a personal statement he prepared as part of the application. Once selected, all attendees receive funds from the NCAA to attend with no cost to the student-athlete or school.
"Athletics has been such an important aspect of my life, and has truly made me the person I am today," wrote Gilleran. He hopes a career in athletics will allow him to, "give people the same happiness that I have received and … to use athletics as a platform to teach important life skills such as teamwork, communication, and inclusion of others to student-athletes."
Gilleran—a rising senior and the men's basketball program's all-time leading scorer—wrote that he hopes to become a coach or otherwise serve a role in athletics. "I would help ensure my players play because they love the game first. Athletics should be a fun, enjoyable aspect of a student-athlete's life, and I will do everything I can to make it that way for my players."
