Freshman Ferrero Represents MSU at Leadership Conference
6/4/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis, Women's Tennis
Ferrero came to MSU from Manizales, Columbia to play tennis, to study for a degree in archeology, and, in his words, “to make an impact in my community.”
Recently, Ferrero represented MSU student-athletes at the NCAA National Student-Athlete Leadership Development Conference in Orlando, Florida at the Walt Disney World Resort. The conference provides NCAA student-athletes with a forum to openly discuss issues that may affect them on their campuses and in their communities, while also providing them with the opportunity to enhance their leadership, communication, decision-making and problem-solving skills.
“There was so much information to take in, you just can’t absorb it all,” Ferrero said. “But it definitely was something that will help me be a better leader here at MSU. I’d like to be able to take some of the things I learned and share them with other students here.”
The conference is an outgrowth of the CHAMPS/Life Skills program offered to student-athletes in NCAA schools and has been in place since 1996. At this year’s conference, over 700 student-athletes from all over the country met together to discuss a variety of topics such as game environment, gender equity, religion in sport, social networking, EKG testing, mental health and nutrition.
“We had all kinds of activities to do in breakout groups including making our own 60-second video on nutrition,” Ferrero said. “We also divided up into different ethnicity groups to discuss issues that affected us. This was my favorite session as it helped me to understand that most ethnic students have the same kinds of concerns about stereotypes and being misunderstood,” he continued.
“We were all concerned about educating our communities and campuses about all that we have to offer including a different perspective on the world and a desire to serve and inspire our new homes,” he said.
Ferrero hopes to be able to duplicate that activity at Montana State, starting with MSU student-athletes and maybe even campus-wide.
“There are a lot of different ethnic groups at MSU with a lot to offer,” he said.
Students at the conference had to do their homework before going to Florida. Participants were required to fill out information about their values and goals. In addition, coaches and friends answered a series of questions that would help determine what type of leadership style each participant had. Once at the conference, student-athletes were coached on their leading styles and how to motivate others with different styles.
“It was really a wake-up for me,” Ferrero said. “I learned a lot about myself. Now, I have to continue to study and re-read the material so it will sink in.”
Ferrero gets to make a trip home later this summer before coming back to Bozeman in the fall for his second year at MSU.
“I’m really looking forward to putting all this information to work here at MSU,” he said. “But first, I get to take some time off.”
Recently, Ferrero represented MSU student-athletes at the NCAA National Student-Athlete Leadership Development Conference in Orlando, Florida at the Walt Disney World Resort. The conference provides NCAA student-athletes with a forum to openly discuss issues that may affect them on their campuses and in their communities, while also providing them with the opportunity to enhance their leadership, communication, decision-making and problem-solving skills.
“There was so much information to take in, you just can’t absorb it all,” Ferrero said. “But it definitely was something that will help me be a better leader here at MSU. I’d like to be able to take some of the things I learned and share them with other students here.”
The conference is an outgrowth of the CHAMPS/Life Skills program offered to student-athletes in NCAA schools and has been in place since 1996. At this year’s conference, over 700 student-athletes from all over the country met together to discuss a variety of topics such as game environment, gender equity, religion in sport, social networking, EKG testing, mental health and nutrition.
“We had all kinds of activities to do in breakout groups including making our own 60-second video on nutrition,” Ferrero said. “We also divided up into different ethnicity groups to discuss issues that affected us. This was my favorite session as it helped me to understand that most ethnic students have the same kinds of concerns about stereotypes and being misunderstood,” he continued.
“We were all concerned about educating our communities and campuses about all that we have to offer including a different perspective on the world and a desire to serve and inspire our new homes,” he said.
Ferrero hopes to be able to duplicate that activity at Montana State, starting with MSU student-athletes and maybe even campus-wide.
“There are a lot of different ethnic groups at MSU with a lot to offer,” he said.
Students at the conference had to do their homework before going to Florida. Participants were required to fill out information about their values and goals. In addition, coaches and friends answered a series of questions that would help determine what type of leadership style each participant had. Once at the conference, student-athletes were coached on their leading styles and how to motivate others with different styles.
“It was really a wake-up for me,” Ferrero said. “I learned a lot about myself. Now, I have to continue to study and re-read the material so it will sink in.”
Ferrero gets to make a trip home later this summer before coming back to Bozeman in the fall for his second year at MSU.
“I’m really looking forward to putting all this information to work here at MSU,” he said. “But first, I get to take some time off.”
WBB - Montana State vs Portland - Behind the Mic
Friday, March 27
2025 Code of a Champion
Monday, March 23
Spring Football Preview Press Conference
Friday, March 13
WBB - #2 Montana State vs #1 Idaho - Behind the Mic
Thursday, March 12
