PROVIDENCE, RI –  The third annual American Athletic Conference Academic Consortium Symposium will be held March 29-30 at the University of Tulsa. The Symposium brings together scholars, practitioners and students from all 13 American member institutions who are engaged in multi-disciplinary research related to student-athlete well-being with a special emphasis on student-athlete mental health.

The American Athletic Conference Academic Consortium was founded in 2016 as a presidential initiative by the league’s member institutions to promote academic excellence and to develop opportunities for collaboration and professional development for faculty, administrators and students. The core focus of the Consortium is the establishment of research and formulation of programming relative to student-athlete well-being. The Consortium aims at fostering partnerships among member institutions and developing initiatives that advance the academic mission at each institution.

The American Athletic Conference and our 13 member institutions are committed to being a national leader in the area of student-athlete health and well-being,” Commissioner Mike Aresco said. “We have established a great model for collaboration and I am proud that our presidents, athletic directors and faculty athletic representatives strongly support and continue to provide the funds for this Academic Consortium. I appreciate President Gerard Clancy and the University of Tulsa serving as our host for this year’s event. Our first two Symposiums were highly successful and were marked by valuable discussion and a sharing of ideas.”

Highlighting the Symposium will be presentations from 2018-19 American Academic Consortium Grant recipients who have conducted research on member institution campuses throughout the past year on behalf of student well-being. President Gerard Clancy will be one of three keynote speakers during the two days of the Symposium. He will make a presentation on the Neuroscience of Depression and Suicide. In addition, Jessica Wagner, Assistant Director of Prevention and Health Promotion at the NCAA and Kevin Grawer, Principal at Maplewood Richmond Heights District in St. Louis, Missouri, are keynote speakers.

Two student-athlete panel discussions regarding current issues pertaining to student-athlete mental health and well-being also will take place.

More than 100 individuals from all 13 American institutions are expected to attend this year’s Symposium.