April 15, 2003
Junior men's water polo player Logan Gee was recently selected to represent Santa Clara University at the seventh annual NCAA Foundation Leadership Conference in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., May 25-29.
The conference, held at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex and Coronado Springs Resort, is made up of 300 student-athletes from across the nation from Division I through Division III programs. Every year, each institution nominates four people and the NCAA selects one. The NCAA received 1,172 nominations from 302 institutions for the 2003 conference.
Junior Becky Potter from volleyball, freshman Micaela Esquivel from women's soccer, and junior Juan Perez from men's crew were SCU's other nominees, each having to complete an essay for the for the NCAA to choose from.
"I was pretty surprised that I was picked," Gee said. "I didn't think I brought anything that exceptional when compared to the other SCU candidates I was up against. However, I am completed honored and excited to attend. I'm looking forward to the people I will meet and the ideas that will be presented."
Gee's selection follows two other Bronco student-athlete that have represented the University at the same event. Senior softball catcher Roni Rivera attended the conference last summer while Sean Eirich of men's crew attended in 2001.
The mission of the NCAA Leadership Conference is to provide a diverse group of the nation's top student-athletes an opportunity to actively participate in challenging and thought-provoking activities that will enable them to become better leaders on their campuses and in their communities.
Many can attest to the fact that Gee is a perfect candidate to represent SCU at this year's conference. "The NCAA selects student-athletes who they believe can be change agents on their campus. Logan is a great choice to represent our campus," said Academic Support Coordinator Valeri Quintero.
Gee is a combined sciences major with a 3.3 GPA. A team captain on the water polo squad, this past season, he was selected to the All Academic Collegiate Water Polo Team by the American Water Polo Coaches Association.
Additionally, Gee is a program coordinator for the Santa Clara Community Action Program, where he organizes volunteers and tutors for the Sacred Heart Nativity School, a charter school for low-income boys. He has also worked at the Montgomery Inn and Julian Street Inn Homeless Shelter, taken four one-week trips to Tijuana, Mexico, as part of a house-building Immersion Trip, participated in the "Meals on Wheels" SCCAP program, taught as a GED/ESL tutor for a Vietnamese Immigrant living at O'Connor Hospital, and spent some time working at the Mother Theresa Hospice in Delhi, India.
"Logan is a strong leader on our team, and I think he's a great, all-around candidate to represent Santa Clara at this event," head coach Keith Wilbur said. "He has a strong community service background and I know he is looking forward to learning ideas on how to better integrate our entire student-athlete group with the local community."
