CLARKSVILLE—Austin Peay State University will send two student-athletes to Orlando, Florida, in April for the 2019 NCAA Student-Athlete Leadership Forum.

Shaun Whittinghill of the football team and Myah LeFlore of the women's basketball program will represent not only Austin Peay but the Ohio Valley Conference at this event. Each Division I and Division II conference selects student-athletes from active member institutions to represent the conference at the forum. In November 2017, Nia Gibbs-Francis attended on behalf of the OVC.

"Nia said it's a lot of fun, you'll meet a lot of people and make a lot of connections," Whittinghill said. "You learn a lot of useful information. My plan is to take the information I learn here and incorporate it into my everyday life here and pass it on to my teammates and in the peer mentor program."

Created in 1997, the Leadership Forum has been a life-changing experience for more than 5,000 student-athletes, many who have grown personally and professionally, gained a new network of peers and friends, as well as felt the rewards and importance of community service. Student-athletes return from the experience with refined leadership skills, having explored the relationship between personal values, core beliefs and behavioral styles and a thorough understanding of the NCAA as a whole.

Both Whittinghill and LeFlore are perfect candidates for the role into which they now find themselves. Whittinghill, a high-achieving student-athlete who has earned four Athletics Director's Honor Roll nods during his career, has endured two season-ending injuries during his Austin Peay career but remains an upbeat and vibrant member of the campus community even when on crutches. In addition to being a fixture at every home event, no matter the sport, Whittinghill has volunteered locally at Burt Elementary School and for Austin Peay's annual Big Event day of campus service. And despite the injury setbacks, Whittinghill has made his time on the field count, recording nearly 40 tackles in just 18 career games.

Leflore boasts a 3.34 cumulative grade-point average as a Governor. She has become one of the most vocal leaders for David Midlick and the Austin Peay women's basketball program, despite a knee injury of her own during her sophomore season. She's made 33 appearances as a Gov, averaging 6.1 points in 15 games as a sophomore before being felled by injuries. And much like Whittinghill, she's been a visible presence not only on campus but in the community; in addition to Burt Elementary, she's donated her time at Buddy Ball, Riverfest and Clarksville's Walk to End Alzheimer's.

A large part of the criteria for selection to this program is not just a prospective candidates academic or athletic bonafides, but their abilities and desire to lead.

"I see this as a great opportunity," Leflore said. "I plan to continue to lead in life and I want to grow as a leader and emerge as a better leader. It's special that Shaun and I were able to get this opportunity to elevate our program to the next level in terms of student leadership."

The 2019 Student-Athlete Leadership Forum will be held April 11-14 in Orlando, Florida.