LOWELL, Mass. – UMass Lowell Academic & Student-Athlete Development Advisor Mason Ayotte and junior Nhyira Nkansah (Chelmsford, Mass.), a thrower on the UMass Lowell women's track & field team, were selected to represent the America East Conference at the 2025 NCAA Student-Athlete Leadership Forum. 

The NCAA Student-Athlete Leadership Forum took place November 20-23 in Dallas, Texas. Ayotte attended as an administrator and Nkansah served as a student representative of UMass Lowell. Student-athletes and administrators from Division I to Division III were chosen to attend the NCAA Student-Athlete Leadership Forum. 

"The NCAA Leadership Development programs and the team that run them are outstanding and we will undoubtedly benefit from two of our own attending SALF," said Senior Associate Athletic Director for Student Athlete Excellence Alison Quandt Westgate. "They both had a tremendous experience and are already putting their lessons into practice as well as leveraging the relationships they developed with folks at institutions across the country."

This four-day program was developed to help student-athletes grow as leaders on their teams and campuses. While in attendance, the student-athletes were able to learn about their personal values, leadership qualities and even the role they'd play in making a positive student-athlete experience. 

"When I first walked into the Student-Athlete Leadership Forum, I didn't know what to expect, and that lack of expectations allowed me to fully absorb the experience," said Nkansah. "The forum helped me recognize my strengths, reframe my weaknesses, and understand that great leadership is rooted in knowing your core values and letting them guide your decisions. I also learned the power of honesty: the more genuine you are with yourself, the more authentic you become as a leader. Connecting with like-minded student-athletes and coaches was incredibly grounding and cup-filling, and the entire experience opened my eyes to my potential as a leader within my sport, my school, and beyond. It was an honor to represent UMass Lowell and the America East at such a powerful event." 

The student-athletes and administrators worked in small groups to get a better understanding of how values, identity and behavior can shape leadership, along with exploring effective communication and conflict management. This experience also helps participants learn about the issues that affect student-athletes across divisions, and ways to build a healthier team dynamic. 

"The NCAA's Student-Athlete Leadership Forum was a transformational experience to say the least," said Ayotte. "The ability to connect with student-athletes and administrators across the country made this an unforgettable experience that helped me grow as a leader!" 

By the end of the forum, the student-athletes and administrators had built up more confidence in their leadership abilities, improved on their skills with communicating and building relationships, and even networked with other participants from across the country. The attendees also left the event with new ideas to spread to their peers, coaches and administrators, and ways to support the well-being of their teams and campuses.