Several members of the Southern University Athletics staff recently participated in the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) Convention, taking advantage of valuable professional development opportunities designed to strengthen leadership, operations, fundraising, marketing, communications, academics, and compliance across intercollegiate athletics.

Ajohnee Rodney, Chief of Staff / Associate Athletics Director for Development, participated in the Fundraising and Operations for Athletics Development (FOAD) program hosted in partnership with the National Association of Athletic Development Directors (NAADD) and the National Association of Collegiate Marketing Administrators (NACMA). The program provided valuable insight into the evolving landscape of collegiate athletics fundraising and marketing. Rodney also earned her NCAA Foundations of Fundraising Certificate, further strengthening her commitment to advancing development efforts and creating meaningful opportunities for student-athletes and supporters of Southern Athletics.

In addition, Rodney attended the College Athletic Business Management Association (CABMA) Convention, where she served as a panelist for the breakout session, "Recruit, Hire, Retain: Building Stronger Athletics Departments." The discussion focused on strategies for attracting, developing, and retaining talented professionals within collegiate athletics.

Rodney, along with Deputy Athletics Director Rodney Kirschner, also completed the Senior Administrators Mentoring Institute, a leadership-focused program that provided valuable perspective on executive leadership and the future of college athletics.

Southern Athletics was well represented throughout the convention, with staff members participating in a variety of national organizations and educational sessions. Assistant Director for Marketing and Development Taylor DeBourg attended NACMA, while Director of Corporate Partnerships Denise Rankins participated in NAADD programming.

Members of Southern's Academics and Compliance unit attended conferences and professional development opportunities through the Minority Opportunities Athletic Association (MOAA), the National Association of Academic and Student-Athlete Development Professionals (N4A), and the National Association for Athletics Compliance (NAAC).

Associate Director of Strategic Communications Willie Scott participated in programming through the College Sports Communicators organization, formerly known as CoSIDA, gaining valuable insight into the ever-changing communications and media landscape in collegiate athletics.

The annual NACDA Convention continues to serve as one of the premier professional development opportunities in college athletics, bringing together administrators from across the country to share ideas, build relationships, and develop strategies that enhance the student-athlete experience.

"Each year, we leave this conference with new ideas, meaningful relationships, and a renewed sense of purpose," Rodney said. "Professional growth happens when you remain curious, embrace opportunities to learn, and are willing to contribute to the conversation."

Southern University Athletics remains committed to investing in the professional growth of its staff to ensure the department continues to provide an exceptional experience for its student-athletes, supporters, and stakeholders.