Tommy Dunn Jr., Represents KU, Big 12 at the NCAA Student-Athlete Leadership Forum

BALTIMORE – University of Kansas sophomore Tommy Dunn Jr., was one of two Big 12 representatives at the NCAA Student-Athlete Leadership Forum that took place April 13-16 in Baltimore, Maryland.

The Leadership Forum, which consisted of two candidates selected from each conference at the Division I, Division II, and Division III levels, brings student-athletes, coaches and administrators together from across the United States to help to build a leadership toolkit and develop vital self-awareness that allows them to realize their potential.

“It was a great experience to network and meet student-athletes from around the country, because we all go through the same experiences as student-athletes,” Dunn said. “The forum greatly surpassed my expectations, and I am very honored and blessed to be selected for it.”

Joining Dunn from the Big 12 Conference was Oklahoma’s Kelsey Carrington, a junior on the Sooners’ volleyball team.

The four-day forum included a series of keynote speeches, group discussions and workshops led by professional development facilitators. Throughout the event, attendees addressed topics such as effective communication, team building, goal setting and mental health.

Participants are assigned to a “color team” with about 30 other attendees, and within those frequent color team sessions, they work in an open environment with trained facilitators to engage in discussions regarding leadership and its many components. They build a family of team members that encourages vulnerability, challenges one another with diverse perspectives, and provides unconditional support during and after the program.

“I met so many great people throughout the event that made it a great experience,” Dunn said. “It’s an opportunity that I will forever be thankful for because of the relationships that I made and things I was able to learn.”