Dr. Kenyatta Cavil is taking his vision of connecting academics, athletics, and professional leadership on the road with the new HBCU Sports Ecosystem Series: Beyond The Game. The initiative, which debuts September 12 at Jackson State University, aims to prepare students and mid-level professionals for executive opportunities in the ever-changing landscape of HBCU athletics.
“This started back in May at Texas Southern University,” Dr. Cavil explained. “We brought in several directors of athletics as well as a couple of commissioners…so they could talk to our students and then talk about how they transition from mid-management into executive positions”DrCavilSports. That two-day event, supported by the Center for Africana Futures, laid the groundwork for what is now becoming a traveling series.
The Jackson State stop will feature Southwestern Athletic Conference Commissioner Dr. Charles McClelland alongside Vice President and Director of Athletics Ashley Robinson. “We’ll talk about how the conference is moving forward in this current environment,” Cavil notedDrCavilSports. Tuskegee athletic director Reginald Ruffin will also join the program, bringing his perspective as his Golden Tigers prepare for a weekend matchup in Jackson.
According to Cavil, the sessions go far beyond theory. “I like to be somebody that is not just theoretical but actually practical,” he said. “How do we hit the ground and make it go from theoretical to practical…so that students can use what they’ve learned in the classroom in a very practical way to help develop businesses.”
The fall lineup includes four stops: Jackson State in September, Norfolk State in October, Alabama State in November, and a culminating event in Atlanta around the Celebration Bowl. Each session will feature athletic leaders, influencers, and health professionals, all designed to give participants a 360-degree view of the HBCU sports industry.
For Cavil, the word “ecosystem” is intentional. “We have an ecosystem that is naturally encompassing, but oftentimes we have influential things that come out into the ecosystem,” he said. He pointed to Robinson’s bold 2020 hire of Deion Sanders as an example: “That single decision…changed the trajectory of intercollegiate athletic sports, not just in HBCU sports, but beyond that.”
Ultimately, Cavil sees the series as a bridge between the classroom and the boardroom. “The better that we put that lexicon out there and start talking about it, it helps those ADs, VPs, commissioners, presidents, and chancellors provide dollar value to that brand,” he explained.
With “Beyond The Game,” Dr. Cavil is ensuring that the next generation of HBCU leaders has the knowledge, access, and vision to shape the future.