Arcadia University Athletics Leadership Development

Arcadia University Athletics

Official Site of the Arcadia University Knights

In alignment with our departmental vision to develop high-achieving leaders, the athletics department offers numerous opportunities for student-athletes across all sports to engage in leadership programming. The work that falls under Arcadia Athletics Leadership Development is guided by the principles written out below.

Vision: To aid in the development of high achieving student-athlete leaders at Arcadia.

Mission: Leadership development at Arcadia provides an outlet that inspires and empowers student-athletes to cultivate safe, inclusive, success driven environments.

Core values in this work: N.I.R.I

Nurture - this work meets student-athletes where they are to help them reach their potential both in and beyond sport
Include - this work is grounded in inclusion through the acknowledgment and respect of intersectional identities
Relate - this work promotes understanding and growth through the shared experience of being a student-athlete
Inspire - this work helps student-athletes envision a future greater than what they thought possible

Signature Programs

Our signature programs are the primary drivers of this work. Each of our signature programs contains a unique curriculum that's been designed by athletics staff to meet students where they are and offer intentional and practical leadership training. Signature programs are unique in that they engage students across multiple teams, and they offer a set amount of content hours through a variety of modes of engagement. Our current signature program offerings include the Leadership Circle and the Elected Leaders Retreat (ELR).

Leadership Circle
The Leadership Circle is an annual, cohort-based leadership development program that provides touchpoints that highlight leadership strategies and practices for those who have a formal leadership role on their team. As participants in a signature program in the department, student-athletes get to explore ideas and concepts, and individually assess how they can make them better leaders, mentors, and role models on their own teams. The Leadership Circle is a program geared towards unpacking effective athletic/team performance, and content centers around what it takes to establish a culture of high achieving athletic performance. Student-athletes also meet, bond with, and establish a support group with other team leaders. Participation is open to student-athletes from all teams who are nominated by an internal committee of coaches and staff members.

Elected Leaders Retreat (ELR)
The Elected Leaders Retreat (ELR) is a retreat-style leadership development program designed to help student-athletes in positions of power both be and feel empowered to step into these roles with a degree of confidence and understanding, so they are better prepared to face the challenges that come along with being "leaders among leaders." This process comes not just individually, but also as a group, where they'll learn and grow together as they come to recognize the support group they can offer one another. Participation is open to students who have been elected into leadership roles in student groups that primarily work with student-athletes.

Other athletics-specific leadership development opportunities that we have offered and supported include:

NCAA Student-Athlete Leadership Forum
Student-Athlete Advisory Committee
Knights of Color Leadership Council
Jen Fry's "The N-Word Workshop"
DiSC Assessments
MAC Women's Leadership Symposium
NCAA Inclusion Forum
NCAA Career in Sports Forum
NCAA DIII Student Immersion Program
And many more!

For additional information, contact Oliver Moe, Assistant AD of Student-Athlete Success & Leadership, moeo@arcadia.edu.