SWAG Summit 2021

The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai’s Scholar-Athlete Initiative is a partnership with local and national organizations. The goal is to raise awareness about careers in health care and science among scholar-athletes. Our program, Scholar-athletes With Academic Goals (SWAG), reaches out to young people and provides them with valuable life tools. Our message is that participation in athletics and striving for academic excellence prepares them for success in these careers. While it is not easy, they can do both.

The initiative targets two groups:

• Junior-high and high-school student-athletes
• National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) athletes

Scholar-Athlete Summit

From February 8 to 14, SWAG will partner with Black Men in White Coats to hold a virtual conference. The summit will bring together stakeholders for a week of group discussions and lectures about careers as scientists and health care professionals. Participants will include scholar-athletes, parents, medical student athletes, educators, coaches, physician athletes, medical and graduate school recruiters, and national leaders. Dr. L. Michelle Bennett, PhD, Director, Center for Research Strategy at National Cancer Institute (NCI), will deliver the keynote address along with Anesthesiology and former NFL Wide Receiver, Dr. Nate Hughes, MD. Other speakers will include officials from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association), scholar-athletes, physicians, nurses, athletic trainers, and outstanding athletic and health administrators.

Topics will include:

• How experience as an athlete enhances success in science and health careers
• Awareness of pipeline programs that enhance academic preparedness
• Opportunities available to scholar-athletes in science and health careers
• Lessons learned from former athletes (medical students and physicians)

Black Men In White Coats Summit - Team Work Makes The Dream Work

Dr. Reginald Miller DVM, DACLAM

Dr. L. Michelle Bennett, PhD

Dr. Nate Hughes, MD

Black Men In White Coats Summit - Athlete's Roundtable

SWAG Director: Dr. Reginald Miller DVM, DACLAM (Dean for Research Operations and Infrastructure)

Moderator: Marcia Jackson (MSI AHEC Program Manager)

Co-Moderator: Anthony Smalls (SWAG Initiative Program Manager)

Matthew Brown (VSU | Dental | Tennis)

Austin Collins (Middlebury College | Med School | Football & Basketball)

Mahalia French (Plattsburgh | Nutritionist | Track & Field)

Brooke Kovinsky (USC | Dental | Lacrosse)

Malik Morgan (Cincinnati | Med School | Soccer)

Femi Oyewole (UMass | Med School | Football)