Weston, Mass.—Having recently participated in the NCAA Student Leadership Conference in Jersey City, N.J., Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) President Torie Pappas is ready to make some changes at Regis College. SAAC has planned its next meeting for Jan. 31 at 8:00 p.m. in College Hall 202 to cover some of the ideas generated from the conference.

Pappas and Regis College swimming and diving representative freshman Mike Kaplan were sent to the conference to represent athletics as student-athlete leaders.

The NCAA pays for the representatives to travel to New Jersey, participate in a three-day leadership training session, and work with other student-athletes, coaches, and administrators from all over NCAA Division III institutions on how to be effective leaders on their respective campuses.

Student-athletes learn how to use their strengths as leaders to motivate positive change on their teams, at their school, and in the community.

Pappas, a sophomore field hockey player, began serving her role as SAAC president in fall 2009. In that time she and SAAC have hosted a National LiveStrong Day event, a blood drive, and are planning more community outreach projects for the spring semester.

Both Pappas and Kaplan attended a diversity seminar over the weekend used to teach people how to work cooperatively with all people.

SAAC is a student-athlete student organization that is meant to convey the interests of student-athletes by working with administrators to make changes for the betterment of all students.

Any student-athlete is eligible to participate as a representative, and it is encouraged that student-athletes attend SAAC meetings, which are held twice a month. There is no fee to join SAAC.

The committee’s next meeting will be in College Hall 202, Jan. 31 at 8:00 p.m.