PHOENIX, Ariz. — Averett University women's basketball senior Jihnez Hutchinson and senior Jesse Mustajoki, a senior intern with the Cougars' Department of Athletics, both were able to gain knowledge and network at the NCAA's annual convention held Jan. 10-13 in Phoenix.
 
Hutchinson was one of about 40 student-athletes selected from across the country to participate in the NCAA Division III Student Immersion Program, while Mustajoki attended the convention with the conference as one of several students from Old Dominion Athletic Conference institutions.
 
A native of Charlotte, North Carolina, Hutchinson was ecstatic to be selected this year, especially after applying and not being chosen last year.
 
"Truthfully when I got the opportunity to apply again, I did not think I had a chance of getting accepted," Hutchinson recalled. "So when I received that acceptance email, I was in shock and excitement ran through my veins."
 
The NCAA Division III Student Immersion Program is designed for ethnic minority students who have an interest in careers in Division III athletics coaching and/or administration. Those selected attend the convention and are exposed to Division III programming and the governance process. According to the NCAA, the goal of the program is "to build a pipeline of talented ethnic minority candidates, with an interest in Division III coaching and/or administration, in an effort to ultimately diversify the division."
 
Hutchinson, who is the seventh Averett student-athlete to be selected for the program since it was created in 2015, wasn't sure what to expect going into the opportunity, but came away with an "eye-opening" experience.
 
"The aspect I gained the most was the knowledge to understand that everybody has a different story that can turn into something great," Hutchinson said. "There were constant networking opportunities over the weekend and hearing how those people developed into their career field was fascinating and eye-opening. Some moments and ideas I took away were presence is key because most people think it's just about showing up but that's just the first battle. Displaying proper body language and proper communication skills are key attributes to show off your presence when you are in the room. Another thing I took away from this was it's always important to keep an open mind.
 
Hutchinson said going into the conference, she was focused on finding people that she could relate to in her aspiring career field — coaching collegiate women's basketball — but she learned that there are many careers in athletics that aren't limited to coaching.
 
Mustajoki, a native of Hyvinkää, Finland, hopes to embark on a career in sports. After attending the NCAA Convention, he more specifically is interested in college athletics thanks to the experience and seeing the positive impact NCAA Division III provides.

"This opportunity gave me an excellent opportunity to learn as well as connect with the leaders within Division III, which I am sure will help me gain insight and knowledge on how to succeed within college sports," Mustajoki said. "I was extremely excited to go and grateful for the opportunity I had been given. The experience was everything I had hoped for and more. It gave me a lot more insight into college sports and the NCAA in general as well as how it operates. Connecting with like-minded people and discussing the relevant topics, sports in general and the future of college sports with them was a real pleasure."
 
Mustajoki was able to attend programming such as the NCAA Woman of the Year Award ceremony, participated in the Special Olympics activity and attended the ODAC Athletics Directors' meeting where leaders engaged in discussion about relevant topics. He also got to see some of the behind-the-scenes looks at how the NCAA operates.

"I had the unique opportunity to observe the NCAA's decision-making process as the voting parties discussed and voted on new legislations and adjustments to the philosophy statement," he said.

Both Mustajoki and Hutchinson were thankful for the opportunity to participate in the NCAA Convention overall — and for Hutchinson, the NCAA's Student Immersion Program.
 
"I wish every student could attend this program because, yes, it does provide you with opportunities for the future but it also provides you with a new way of thinking," Hutchinson said. "As student-athletes, you may not realize the issues that the entire Division III is trying to correct but this convention provided me with a new way of thinking. If you are ever presented with the opportunity to apply for this program, I highly recommend you take the chance because it will do nothing but help you and your future."