Spider Leadership Initiative Opens 2024 With Leadership Immersion Trip
01/15/2024 | Spider Leadership, Spider Performance
Richmond, Va. – The Spider Athletics Leadership Initiative began its 2024 spring semester with a day trip into the heart of Richmond, taking part in an immersion event on Monday, January 15.
After grouping for breakfast and icebreakers, the 18 current student-athletes were joined by a group of Spider Athletics staff as they departed for their first stop at the Arthur Ashe monument at the intersection of Roseneath Road and Monument Avenue in the Museum District. Ashe, a Richmond native, was a three-time Grand Slam champion and Civil Rights activist. Associate AD for Academic Support and Student Services Bruce Matthews spoke to the group about the everlasting impact that Ashe had left behind not only in the community of Richmond, but the world. Bruce emphasized Ashe's acts of service, pointing out the significance of successful leadership and its relevance to supporting those around us.
Following the discussion at the Arthur Ashe monument, the group traveled to the T. Tyler Potterfield Memorial Bridge where they walked across silently, reflecting on the importance of leadership in their lives.
The group returned to campus for lunch and the continuation of their afternoon. These Spiders worked together through the rest of their time discussing adversity and participating in a vision mapping exercise.
When asked about her experience today, Sofia Mancino, a junior on the Spider soccer team, said, "It was a great experience to go and see the monuments around Richmond today. Being able to do this on Martin Luther King Jr. Day made it even more special. Oftentimes at a university one might be stuck in a bubble, and being able to escape from that bubble to help others learn about the bigger picture in life has a larger impact than one would imagine".
Donovan Hoilette, a Spider Football sophomore, stated, "Today I felt like it was important to come out and learn more history and learn about the leaders that came before us. As the years have moved on, we are the people that they worked hard to leave an impact on. As we are the new generation are coming up, it is important to learn the valuable history and insight that happened before us in leadership. It will give us the opportunity to lead better in the future."
Coordinator of Student-Athlete Leadership Development & Engagement Jalynn Spaulding talked about the importance of this day for the student-athletes, "Today means so much more than just impacting them today but leaving a long-lasting impact. It all ties into leadership and the rich history of Richmond in terms of Arthur Ashe and the T. Tyler Potterfield Memorial Bridge that we went to see today. Showing them these historical monuments is so fitting for today on Martin Luther King Jr. Day as we reflect how far we have come. I wanted them to reflect on examples of leadership and going downtown to show them the rich history and then transitioning into shaping their own styles of leadership".
After grouping for breakfast and icebreakers, the 18 current student-athletes were joined by a group of Spider Athletics staff as they departed for their first stop at the Arthur Ashe monument at the intersection of Roseneath Road and Monument Avenue in the Museum District. Ashe, a Richmond native, was a three-time Grand Slam champion and Civil Rights activist. Associate AD for Academic Support and Student Services Bruce Matthews spoke to the group about the everlasting impact that Ashe had left behind not only in the community of Richmond, but the world. Bruce emphasized Ashe's acts of service, pointing out the significance of successful leadership and its relevance to supporting those around us.
Following the discussion at the Arthur Ashe monument, the group traveled to the T. Tyler Potterfield Memorial Bridge where they walked across silently, reflecting on the importance of leadership in their lives.
The group returned to campus for lunch and the continuation of their afternoon. These Spiders worked together through the rest of their time discussing adversity and participating in a vision mapping exercise.
When asked about her experience today, Sofia Mancino, a junior on the Spider soccer team, said, "It was a great experience to go and see the monuments around Richmond today. Being able to do this on Martin Luther King Jr. Day made it even more special. Oftentimes at a university one might be stuck in a bubble, and being able to escape from that bubble to help others learn about the bigger picture in life has a larger impact than one would imagine".
Donovan Hoilette, a Spider Football sophomore, stated, "Today I felt like it was important to come out and learn more history and learn about the leaders that came before us. As the years have moved on, we are the people that they worked hard to leave an impact on. As we are the new generation are coming up, it is important to learn the valuable history and insight that happened before us in leadership. It will give us the opportunity to lead better in the future."
Coordinator of Student-Athlete Leadership Development & Engagement Jalynn Spaulding talked about the importance of this day for the student-athletes, "Today means so much more than just impacting them today but leaving a long-lasting impact. It all ties into leadership and the rich history of Richmond in terms of Arthur Ashe and the T. Tyler Potterfield Memorial Bridge that we went to see today. Showing them these historical monuments is so fitting for today on Martin Luther King Jr. Day as we reflect how far we have come. I wanted them to reflect on examples of leadership and going downtown to show them the rich history and then transitioning into shaping their own styles of leadership".
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