Summer in Review: Taking Our Impact Beyond Campuses
This summer, RADical Hope expanded its reach beyond college campuses – connecting with student-athletes, young leaders and communities in new and meaningful ways. From football fields to national leadership summits, we met people where they are, raised awareness about mental health and equipped the next generation with the skills to grow, lead and thrive.
Leveling Up Professional Development
Our summer kicked off with a focus on professional development at the NACDA and College Sports Communicators Convention, one of the largest gatherings for collegiate athletic development and networking. RADical Hope team members Mackenzie Kelly and Kelly Seaver introduced RADical Health to thousands of attendees, sparking conversations about student-athlete well being and leading interactive workshops designed to support professional development for college athletic administrators.
Professional development remained a central theme throughout the season. At the Bank of America Student Leaders Summit, RADical Hope co-led a hands-on design lab titled “Why Am I Stressed? Building Resilience & Designing Solutions.” The summit brought together hundreds of young leaders from across the country for a week of skill-building, networking and collaboration. In the RADical Health session, students reflected on their personal stressors and developed strategies to support both themselves and their communities – turning awareness into actionable leadership.
Supporting Student-Athletes On and Off the Field
Our commitment to resilience and well-being extended to student-athletes nationwide this summer. From Boston to New Jersey to Alabama, RADical Hope joined summits and development camps to help athletes build skills to thrive on and off the field.
At Boston University’s Team IMPACT Fellowship Summit, 180 student-athletes from across the nation came together to strengthen their leadership, reflect on their journeys and learn from one another. RADical Hope led guided workshops on resilience, energy management and self-awareness – equipping athletes with tools to thrive on and off the field.
That mission was carried into Birmingham at the Gulf South Conference SAAC Summit, where student-athlete representatives and advisors gathered for reflection, leadership development and planning for the year ahead. RADical Hope team leaders led workshops focused on stress management and identifying principles & priorities, where participants explored strategies to support themselves and their campus communities. As one student, Asa Mazow, reflected:
“The RADical Hope workshops on stress management and mental health were especially impactful, and I’m excited to bring those tools back to support our SAAC and campus community.”
Finally, our work supporting athletes extended to the youth level, where RADical Hope Ambassador and Atlanta Falcons safety Jordan Fuller – together with his brother, former NFL wide receiver Devin Fuller – hosted a youth football clinic. Sponsored by RADical Hope, the event blended athletic training with emotional resilience, empowering young athletes to strengthen both their bodies and their minds.