Courtesy: Russell Houghtaling, Western Illinois Athletics Jarrell Johnson has made the most of his collegiate career, participating in two sports, SAAC, and NCAA Cabinets.

MACOMB, Ill. – College is a time to learn from many new experiences and take advantage of several opportunities that are thrown at students from many different areas. Junior track and field athlete Jarrell Johnson has been given several opportunities over his three years at Western Illinois.

Johnson was a wide receiver on the Leatherneck football team for three seasons, and has been a member of the track and field team for the past three seasons. Besides his participation in athletics and going to school, the St. Louis Mo., native also became a member of the Western Illinois and National Student Athlete Advisory Committee’s.

Johnson was chosen out of eight candidates from the Mid-Continent Conference to be appointed to the National Student Athlete Advisory Committee starting in 2005-06, and currently serves as the president for the Western Illinois chapter. His role in SAAC has allowed him to participate in a national cabinet that helps set policies for student-athletes across the country.

In February 2007 Johnson traveled to Tucson, Ariz. to attend the NCAA Division I Academics/Eligibility/Compliance Cabinet (AEC). Johnson joined Western Illinois Faculty Representative Dr. Tom Cody at the cabinet that reviews legislation in all facets that effect student-athletes and their schools.

“We went through a variety of issues,” said Johnson. “I’m on the financial aid subcommittee and we discussed issues, topics, and concerns within the NCAA dealing with financial aid. It was a pretty intense discussion, but I feel that we got a lot done.”

There are several sub-committees that address each of the areas of focus for the cabinet. Johnson is one of five students on the financial aid sub-committee and Dr. Cody is on the recruitment sub-committee. Each committee has representatives from several schools, including student-athletes, athletic directors, senior women’s administrators, compliance coordinators and faculty representatives.

“We might not get a vote in the committee, but the faculty and staff representatives from each committee encourage our positions on topics and ask us a lot of questions,” Johnson said. “They realize that without student-athletes the NCAA does not exist and vice-versa, so we need to have a very strong relationship.”

Only the faculty and staff members on the committees have votes in the legislation that is brought before them, but the committees rely on the students’ opinions when voting.

“The committees look for diverse points of view on each subject,” said Dr. Cody. “Not only from the standpoint of who is on the committee, but the backgrounds of those on the committee as well.”

The key to the cabinets is that all members have an equal say in the proceedings. So representatives from Big Ten schools have as much of a say as someone from the Mid-Continent Conference.

“I really like that I have just as much of a say as an athletic director from a Big Ten or Big 12 institution,” said Dr. Cody. “If I am articulate enough to get my point across I can have a big impact, and the same goes for Jarrell.”

Johnson will attend the next committee meeting this coming June at NCAA headquarters in Indianapolis.

“I learned more about structure and how the NCAA is run,” said Johnson. “I learned how you need so many different viewpoints to gather the answers that you need. I also learned that an important part of leaderships is making sure that you have different types of people to represent different viewpoints.”

Besides his role on the AEC, Johnson has been chosen to participate in the NCAA National Leadership Conference May 27-31 in Orlando, Fla. This is another opportunity for Johnson to be part of discussions that effect NCAA student-athletes on campus and in the community. It also provides them with the opportunity to gain leadership, communication, decision-making and problem-solving skills. Johnson will be one of 325 student-athletes from all Divisions of the NCAA membership.