BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Samford student-athletes recently attended an event called Regions Game Change:  NIL Financial Confidence Forum.
 
The event was held as part of Samford's CHAMPS program, and student-athletes had the opportunity to hear from industry leaders about the current trends shaping the future of student-athlete branding, monetization and financial wellness. A total of 145 student-athletes representing baseball, softball, track and field and women's basketball attended the event.
 
Below are some quotes from people attending the event:
 
David Moore, CHAMPS
"The Regions NIL Symposium was extremely beneficial, not just for our student-athletes, but for me as a professional working in college athletics. The landscape of college athletics continues to change on a day-to-day basis. Being able to hear from established colleagues in the industry share their insight on NIL and the impact of financial decisions that our student-athletes are now expected to make is eye opening. I am extremely grateful for Regions providing much needed earning opportunities like this."
 
Sinkenesh Parker, Women's Cross Country and Track and Field
"As an attendee at the The NIL Financial Confidence Forum, I was informed about the NIL aspects of being a student athlete and how to take opportunities while being responsible. The speakers at this event strongly encouraged the use of school resources and the importance of connections and investment. We were reminded that as student-athletes, we have an advantage and opportunity to build a foundation that sets us up for the future."
 
Erika Layton, Director of Compliance/Softball Sport Oversight
"We are very appreciative of Regions Bank for putting together this well-thought-out event for our student-athletes. The panels combined the knowledge of veteran athletic administrators with financial experts to provide our student-athletes with unique viewpoints on both NIL and financial literacy. We hope our student-athletes are encouraged more than ever to pursue NIL opportunities after attending this exceptional event."
 
Dr. E.J. Brophy, Associate AD for Development
"The Regions- NIL Student-Athlete Financial Wellness Symposium was a first-class event and very beneficial for student-athletes. Regions is a great partner of Samford University, and it is obvious that they care about the financial and overall well-being of all students."
 
Corey Green, Executive AD for External Affairs
"We want to Thank Regions Bank for the outstanding NIL event we attended on Tuesday, October 8^th. The event was extremely well done by our great partners, Regions Bank. The athletes, staff and coaches that attended in person and virtually were all very impressed with the format and content discussed. The speakers were all relevant, engaging and honest in their remarks. I am proud to see how much Regions Bank and its partners care about the financial well-being of our student athletes as they navigate these new opportunities for financial growth. This event is something that I see as a very important aspect of how we talk about NIL with our student athletes and their families. Improving overall financial literacy through topics such as this is very important to Samford University and Regions as we look to make positive impact in the communities that we live in and serve."
 
Megan Curry, Head Softball Coach
"We want to thank Regions for giving our student athletes the opportunity to learn and grow outside of the classroom. It is important to have those relationships not only on campus, but also outside in the community."
 
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