Sangamon Sun

Before the start of her senior volleyball season, Laura Kaiser, a member of the Illinois College Lady Blues, participated in a national initiative aimed at supporting student-athlete mental health. Over the summer, Kaiser served on the NCAA Innovations in Research and Practice Grant Program panel. This program is designed to improve the mental health and psychosocial well-being of student-athletes across all NCAA divisions.

Kaiser joined a group made up of athletic directors, coaches, professors, and other student-athletes. Together, they reviewed research proposals from institutions including Brown University, UCLA, and Westminster College. The goal was to select projects that could have a positive impact on student-athlete wellness.

"This summer I was privileged to represent D3 student-athletes on an accomplished board of athletic directors, coaches, professors, and student-athletes from each NCAA Division," Kaiser said. "The purpose of this board was to sift through and choose which research proposals fit our mission: student-athlete psychosocial well-being and mental health."

During their virtual meeting in May, Kaiser's working group narrowed down hundreds of submissions to 15 finalists. The panel plans to meet again in August to decide which projects will receive grant funding.

"My favorite part of this experience has been working with such dedicated professionals," Kaiser added. "I never felt dismissed for being a young student-athlete. If anything, they valued my opinion more. I also had a blast sorting through the creative research proposals. I'm so thankful for this opportunity to truly make a difference on college campuses around the world for student-athletes' mental health."

Kaiser's participation in the review process provided her with experience in evaluating research and collaborating with professionals from across collegiate athletics. She returns to campus bringing these insights back to her team.