KSU Innovators Gather National Feedback for e-Learning Tool to Support Student Athletes

Kentucky State University innovators Dr. Jamaal Jackson and Dr. Patrese Nesbitt attended the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics National Convention in Las Vegas, Nevada with funding from the KCV GOAL Fund. The pair attended to conduct research to further their innovation Cross the Finish Line, an e-learning tool that provides information to college/university faculty and staff that enables them to help student athletes. The goal is to increase retention, persistence and graduation rates of Black male student athletes. The tool provides tips on academics, mental health and cultural competence.

The GOAL Fund supports faculty, staff, and students from KCV partner institutions in attending conferences and events that promote innovation and commercialization. Participants can apply for funds to cover related expenses, with the expectation that they will gain valuable knowledge, establish networks, and enhance their commercialization skills. Dr. Jackson shared more about his experience attending the NACDA Conference and obtaining KCV's GOAL Fund.

How did you learn about the opportunity to attend the NACDA Conference?

I've been involved in college athletics for 20 years, so I've known about this for a while.

Was there anyone specific who helped you?

Caroline Stivers of KCV was extremely helpful in the process. Jericho Wilkerson of KCV first told me about the award opportunity in February.

What did you get out of, or learn from, this opportunity?

We were able to conduct more surveys and customer discoveries from professionals who work in our target market, which will help us in our data collection and product development.

Why is this important for you, for your school and/or for the state?

Without the GOAL Funding, we wouldn’t have been able to attend the NACDA conference. By attending, we were able to collect crucial data that will help us in the long term increase the retention, persistence, and graduation rate at colleges throughout the state.

What’s next for you as a result of this experience?

We're utilizing the data collected, along with other data in product development.