TACOMA, Wash. - Pacific Lutheran University football student-athlete and student coach Curtis Garner represented the Lutes at the annual NCAA Career in Sports Forum, held virtually this spring from May 27 to May 29.

"It was great to hear different perspectives and journeys, including an NBA front office member, NCAA leadership development staff, and athletic personnel from all three divisions," said Garner who graduated this spring with a degree in Kinesiology.

Garner was one of 200 student-athletes selected from all three NCAA divisions to take part in the event that is usually held at the NCAA headquarters in Indianapolis, Indiana but was converted to a virtual format due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The three-day Forum allowed Garner to explore a variety of topics relating to the sports industry and his career ambitions in the field.

"I found my personal strengths and how those strengths can be applied to different leadership roles. I also acquired strategies to use (the current COVID-19 shutdown) to get ahead."

Participants are selected by the NCAA and must be nominated by an Athletics Administrator. Student-athletes that attend the conference have a unique opportunity to network with current athletics professionals as well as their peers while charting out a career path in athletics. Garner is following in the footsteps of several Lutes who have attended the event, including men's basketball's Zac Webb in 2019, football's Doug James in 2018, men's golf's Kyle Drugge in 2017, women's soccer's Nicoya Benham-Marin in 2016, and volleyball's Amy Wooten in 2015.

The Lakewood, Washington native was a member of the PLU football team during the 2017 and 2018 seasons while serving as a student assistant last fall. In January, Garner was one of a handful of individuals from around the nation selected to attend the 2020 NCAA Division III Student Immersion Program which was held in Anaheim, Calfornia from January 22-25.

While the interactions weren't quite the same during the virtual Career in Sports Forum, Garner is excited for the opportunity to go to the NCAA headquarters next year.

"I'm going to use the skills and knowledge I learned immediately and I'm looking forward to attending next year when I can go to Indianapolis and have the hands on experiences."