Education Fund Salutes Olympian, Advisory Council Member, Ashleigh Johnson

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Education Fund Salutes Olympian, Advisory Council Member, Ashleigh Johnson

The Drake Group Education Fund (TDGEF) is thrilled to congratulate Advisory Council member Ashleigh Johnson on her remarkable achievement of representing the United States at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. As a world-class athlete, Princeton graduate, and dedicated advocate for TDGEF, Ashleigh is an inspiration to us all. The extraordinary achievements of Ashleigh and other … Read more

Education Fund Releases Major Research Report: Improving Academic Outcomes in NCAA Division I Revenue Sports and HBCU Limited Resource Athletic Programs

A new report by The Drake Group Education Fund (TDGEF) highlights the low graduation rates of Division I football and basketball players, especially Black athletes at Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs). It urges universities to improve academic support for these athletes, who face pressure to succeed in both academics and sports. Julie Sommer, Executive Director of … Read more

Webinars #35, #36, #37, #38 – Every Session of The Sack National Symposium on April 18 from Howard University

The purpose of the 2024 Allen Sack National Symposium on April 18 at Howard University in Washington, DC was to address national issues having a critical impact on college athletic programs. Speakers and panelists discussed college athletes’ well-being with a focus on hazing, bullying, coach misconduct, and the little-known fact that thousands of college athletes … Read more

WEBINAR #34 What is the Role of the Press in Covering College Sports?

Student reporters and accomplished sports journalists who were judges in this year’s The Drake Group Education Fund Student Journalism Prize for Investigative Reporting on Intercollegiate Athletics participate in a wide-ranging conversation about college sports and the role of investigative journalism. Student journalists from Northwestern University and Quinnipiac University, winners of this year’s sports journalism contest … Read more

Webinar #31: Does Baker’s Proposal Invite the Power 4 to Leave the NCAA and What Might Happen If It Does?

NCAA President Charlie Baker took office in March 2023, and inherited several significant lawsuits regarding pay-to-play, name, image, and likeness, and health and safety issues. In response, in late 2023 Baker challenged NCAA member schools with a plan to create a new Division I tier in which schools would be required to pay a minimum … Read more

WEBINAR #29: Collegiate Athletics Reform Bills Being Considered by Congress

A stellar panel of Drake experts review college-athletics-related bills that have been filed or announced as “discussion drafts” in the 118th Congress (2023-2024) as of November 16, 2023 and discuss key questions. Is Congressional intervention in the conduct of intercollegiate athletics justified? Will proposed legislation protect the outside employment rights of college athletes, ensure fair monetization … Read more

Clear and Present Dangers — Sports Gambling. NCAA and Higher Education Must Respond Now

On September 5, 2023, Julie Sommer, Executive Director of The Drake Group Education Fund, issued the following statement via a national press release, cautioning higher education and athletics leaders to take immediate action on college athlete gambling and improper relationships between higher education institutions and the gambling industry.  Sommer warned, “A tidal wave of match-fixing, … Read more