SUWANEE, Ga. - The Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference will host its inaugural Mental Health Symposium, July 15-16, in Dallas, Texas. Schedule of Events

The event, which is scheduled to be attended by more than 60 student-athletes, coaches and administrators within the conference, plans to provide an opportunity for attendees to connect with their peers around shared experiences, interests and the challenges of being a student-athlete or a coach in today's ever-changing environment.

Facilitating the two-day event is Koomba, an organization consisting of former student-athletes who saw the need to create a network for student-athletes to work on their mental health & well-being while on-campus.

One of the organization's stated goals is to "change how young people from diverse backgrounds and identities connect with one another through group support and in-person workshops that usher in new modes of social connection rooted in vulnerability, empathy, and empowerment."

The SCAC Mental Health Symposium – the first event of its kind in conference history – is being funded in part by the NCAA Division III Strategic Initiatives Grant Program.

"We are excited to offer two days of programming for our student-athletes, our coaches and our administrators," said SCAC Commissioner Dwayne Hanberry. "One of the consistent themes we've heard from our student-athletes, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic, is the desire for additional programming and resources pertaining to and within the mental health space. Anything we can do to assist our institutions in this very important area is time and resources well spent."   

The symposium begins on Monday afternoon with programming all afternoon and evening. Additional sessions will take place on Tuesday morning before wrapping up early that afternoon The event is being conducted at the Embassy Suites - Love Field.

For a complete schedule of events, click here.

Those interested in keeping up with the activities of the Mental Health Symposium attendees can follow along via the conference's various social media platforms: X - formerly known as Twitter (@SCAC_Sports) and Instagram (@SCAC_Sports). You can also monitor the week's activities by using the hashtag #SelfCareSCAC.