Important Dates

March 3

Deadline to register for the NAIA National Convention, which will be hosted in New Orleans, Louisiana on March 30-April 3, 2023. Details below.

News

NAIA and NACDA Convention Stipends

The NAIA Athletics Directors Association (NAIA-ADA) is pleased to announce the 2023 Stipend Program, which provides financial assistance to athletics director members wanting to attend either the NACDA or NAIA Convention in-person. The NAIA Convention will take place March 30-April 3 in New Orleans, Louisiana and the NACDA Convention will take place June 11-14 in Orlando, Florida.

Click here for details about the 2023 Stipend Program. The deadline to apply is Wednesday, February 22, 2023.

Episode #5: Creating a Spirit of Belonging

In the new episode of The Room, Dr. Katie Ervin, Ottawa University student-athletes, and coaches talk about creating a spirit of belonging by being culturally brave, building trust, and understanding their role in belonging and allyship. Wherever you sit, you can help cultivate an environment that fosters belonging.

Don't forget that you can assist by:

• As episodes are posted, utilize your regular ASA/SAAC meetings to view and facilitate a brief discussion using the “The Room” Prep-Talks Discussion Guide"
• Follow @PlayNAIA on Facebook, LinkedIn, and @NAIA on Twitter

John Ashaolu Named to MOAA Board

Point Park University Athletics Director John Ashaolu was named to the Board of Directors for the Minority Opportunities Athletic Association (MOAA). Ashaolu was appointed director of athletics at Point Park in 2018. Since that time, the department has flourished, reaching new heights in competitive success, academic achievement, and community engagement. Ashaolu has also developed community and sponsor engagement programs that have led to significant increases in external revenue generation and multiple facility upgrades. Prior to coming to Point Park, Ashaolu served as the system-wide director of athletics at the Community College of Allegheny County overseeing athletics on four campuses.  

Presto Representatives at Convention

Representatives from Presto Sports will be at the 2023 NAIA National Convention and are interested in hearing your feedback and ideas regarding ongoing issues. If you would like to meet with a representative while in New Orleans, you can schedule a time using the link below.

Unified College Championship Week April 10-14

Unified College Championship Week, presented by ESPN and Special Olympics Unified Sports, is a week-long competition where colleges and universities across the country complete inclusive activities as teams. Activities will bring together individuals with and without intellectual disabilities, leading to new friendships, mutual understanding, and more inclusive opportunities for people of all abilities on campus. Teams post their completed activities on Instagram throughout championship week to earn points. The team with the most points at the end of the week will be named the Unified National College Champion! Colleges at any level of engagement with Special Olympics can participate. 

Registration is open until Friday, March 21, 2023. Questions? Contact Lexxi O'Brien.

Work for the NAIA

Have you ever wanted to work for the NAIA national office? Now might be your chance. The national office has multiple job opportunities open at our headquarters in Kansas City, Missouri:

• Vice President of Membership Sales
• Team Lead of Transfer Eligibility
• Associate Marketing Manager

2023 National Convention Registration Open

Join the NAIA at the 82nd Annual NAIA National Convention to be held March 30-April 3, 2023 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Convention attendees have numerous opportunities to network with peers, learn through professional development, and hear from association leaders on the progress of the NAIA. 

Hotel reservations are made separately from convention registration. More details about the registration process can be found here. Questions? Contact Amy Stover at 816.595.8117 or Noel Henke at 816.595.8115.

Return on Athletics

Did You Know?

NAIA athletics continues to make a strong financial impact on NAIA campuses. Did you know that the median net return increased 11.67% in the 21-22 academic year – up to $3.35 million? How does your campus compare to the national median? Login to ROA Insights to find out.

Questions? Contact Director of ROA Alan Grosbach.

Partner Highlight

How Master Planning Can Boost Fundraising

Before donating to a capital campaign or any fundraising request, major donors like to see a plan. Having a master plan in hand establishes credibility and helps show their money will be well spent.  

Think of a master plan as dreams with details. It’s a strategy to tell the story of your institution's goals with project priorities and fundraising phases.  

We can help start making those dreams into reality, assisting you to identify which project will have the biggest return on investment while maximizing space on campus for future growth.  

Is it time for you to Do Something Big?  

Erica Schilling is the Mammoth Vice-President for Business Development and a veteran collegiate athletics administrator who offers seminars on fundraising for small colleges. Email her at erica.schilling@mammothbuilt.com 

Eligibility

Fall 2023 Term for Decision

As recruits begin thinking about their initial eligibility for fall 2023, we wanted to share:

• Eligibility reviews for transfer students seeking fall 2023 eligibility will begin April 1. Until then, students will remain in the “Incomplete Tasks” status.
• Students who will graduate high school in spring 2023 can currently receive early decisions with a GPA of 2.8+ WITHOUT qualifying test score OR GPA of 2.5+ WITH qualifying test score.

February Eligibility Edge

Check out the most recent issue of the Eligibility Edge, a newsletter dedicated exclusively to NAIA eligibility topics. For questions regarding newsletter distribution or to add someone to the email list before the March issue, please contact Jen Saab.