Leadership & Community Engagement
L.I.N.K is a collection of organizations that help student athletes focus on Leadership, Inclusion, Networking & Knowledge in addition to their athletic & academic success. LeadershipU is a University of Minnesota Athletics organization designed to develop leadership capabilities in Gopher Athletes. Through its programming and staff, the organization helps student-athletes increase their emotional intelligence, leadership skills, resiliency and heightened capacity to advocate for themselves. I get the absolute joy of helping curate their online presence and show what they’re all about!
LeadershipU hosted its annual retreat this year in Chula Vista, California. The Leadership Council is comprised of student-athletes across various sports who come together and develop new leaderships skills revolving around communication, motivation, self-awareness, and accountability.
Golden Gopher Fund hosts an annual student scholarship banquet where they celebrate hardworking and community oriented student-athletes, and thank the donors providing the scholarships. This year, Brevyn Spann-Ford (Graduate, UMN Football, TE) received the Richard “Pinky” McNamara Scholarship.
LeadershipU Speaker Series allows previous Minnesota Student Athletes to speak to current student athletes and staff about their professional lives after college athletics. Alexis Kochanski, a former Gopher Gymnastics Alum, talks about her journey from being a student athlete to a successful working professional and mom.
Maroon and Gold Impacting the Community (MAGIC) is a program developed for Minnesota Student Athletes where teams are able to volunteer their time giving back to the community. Teddy Bear Delivery Drive is a community event that the Gopher Men & Women’s Hockey teams and Children’s Masonic Hospital team up to donate & deliver teddy bears to hospital patients.