rio grande valley – Ingridi Nicoletti Fortran I am always passionate about representing and inspiring student-athletes at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV).
From her role on the volleyball team, which brings positive energy and consistency to the program, to her Instagram account with over 62,000 followers, Fortran shares motivational content from the court to the classroom. I am.
Assistant Athletic Director for Student-Athlete Services Julia Perez She was one of many who took notice of Fortran's potential, where she appointed a junior member of the UTRGV Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) to the NCAA Student-Athlete Leadership Forum's Western Athletic Conference (WAC). Nominated as representative candidate. WAC Commissioner brian thornton And along with the swimmers, I chose Fortran. Atu Ambala From the Grand Canyon Jessica Radford The WAC Assistant Director of Communications will represent WAC at the forum.
“When I was informed that I had been selected for the NCAA Student-Athlete Leadership Forum, I felt incredibly honored,” Fortran said. “This was an important moment for me to be recognized for my contributions as a student-athlete and a leader. I was extremely proud to be selected and recognized the perseverance and commitment to excellence that are hallmarks of student-athletes. My dedication has been strengthened. It's just a personal accomplishment, but also a responsibility to represent UTRGV and the conference well.”
Fortran spent April 11-14 with more than 230 student-athletes, administrators and coaches in Bethesda, Maryland, where he learned many valuable lessons. She took her four-day program organized by NCAA leadership development staff. It aimed to help participants increase their emotional intelligence, embrace vulnerability, and expand their networks while developing leadership skills.
This year's program is themed “Lighting the Torch” in reference to the upcoming Olympics, encouraging participants to “come together to celebrate each other and leave ready to apply and share the lessons we've learned on campus and around the world.” The aim is to encourage people to do the same. This theme resonated with Fortran and inspired her to step out of her comfort zone and truly embrace the experience.
“The theme concept of Spreading Happiness and Inspiration captures the core of the leadership style I aspire to: humility, service, and empowerment,” Fortran said. “Through the event, I gained insight into the challenges and opportunities of being a student-athlete. Balancing academics, athletics, and personal growth requires dedication, resilience, and a strong sense of purpose. The Forum recognizes that as student-athletes, we are more than just individuals, we are a light that can inspire and uplift others through our actions and accomplishments.”
Participants are divided into color-assigned small groups, with each group containing approximately 30 participants and two trained facilitators. They completed a series of workshops, listened to keynote speakers, attended governance sessions, participated in community service events, and participated in well-being sessions.
A big part of the development was participants gaining a deeper understanding of their core values. Ms. Fortran chose faith, family and personal growth as her core values. Her Purple As she experiences her four days of programming with her group of friends, the outside hitter strengthens her passion for leadership, service, and making a positive impact. I was able to.
“Faith has been a guiding force in my life and has given me strength and direction through God,” Fortran said when explaining her core values. “My mother has been an unwavering support system for me and has inspired me to strive for excellence every day. Personal growth is a continuous journey for me. I strive to improve by 1% every day. We are committed to continuous learning and improvement.”
The forum, which Fortran called a “transformative experience,” reflected a long-time goal of Fortran, a native of Osasco, São Paulo state, Brazil, to inspire and empower people in and outside of his community. It taught me many lessons.
Foltran is a civil engineering student and serves as president of Tau Beta Pi, UTRGV's Engineering Honor Society. She said one of her most important lessons learned from this forum was “the importance of self-awareness to be an effective leader wherever you are” and strive to bring about change in your role. He said he plans to apply it in the future.
As the only non-native English speaker on the team, Fortran was able to help his teammates better understand the challenges faced by international student athletes. It wasn't always easy for her, but she pushed herself to “be comfortable being uncomfortable” and was open and vulnerable with her group. Her contributions to the group were just as important as what she gained from her new friends.
There was one quote from the forum that particularly struck me about Fortran: Legacy means not leaving something behind for others. It's about leaving something behind for others.
Fortran said she has already discussed her experience at the forum with Perez, who coordinates life skills sessions for UTRGV student-athletes. She wants to share the insights she's gained with other Vaqueros, starting with her volleyball teammates. With only one year left of her time on campus and a steadily growing community of admirers on her social media, Ms. Fortran is committed to making a difference. and she is grateful for the opportunity to join her forum in supporting leadership.
“I take great joy in using Instagram to share my journey as an international student athlete and encourage others to pursue their goals just like me. Now that I’m a senior, “I want to be remembered for having a positive impact on others,” Fortran said. “I’m grateful to my coach, but Todd Lowery, Thank you for giving me the opportunity to come here and achieve my dreams. I would also like to thank my teammates and the UTRGV Athletics staff for believing in my potential and supporting me. The experience of meeting and working with student-athletes and staff from diverse backgrounds during the forum reinforced the importance of teamwork, effective communication, and continuous self-improvement in achieving individual and collective goals.”
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