The University of Mississippi Athletics
Nike Executive Speaks At Ole Miss Student-Athlete Ceremony
4/27/2009 | Athletics
OXFORD, Miss. - Ole Miss recently joined hundreds of schools across the nation in celebrating the 22nd-annual National Student-Athlete Day.
Over 100 Rebel student-athletes, athletics department staff and guests attended the April 6 event, which recognized student-athletes for their academic success and community service involvement.
The guest speaker for the program, which was held at the Inn at Ole Miss Ballroom, was Kit Morris, Director of College Sports Marketing with Nike, Inc. Morris is a 1973 graduate of Ole Miss.
Other highlights of the program featured the presentation of the "Crossing the Lines" Award. This honor is presented to a Rebel who stretches beyond the traditional role of a student-athlete and makes a positive impact on their team and the community. This year's recipient was Rory McKean, a pitcher on the Ole Miss Baseball team.
Morris' career in college sports administration involved service at three schools—Harvard, Yale and Davidson College, where he served as director of athletics from 1985 through 1989.
In 1995, he accepted a position as Director of NCAA Relations at NIKE, the world's leading sports and fitness company. For the past 12 years, Morris has managed the company's larger and more comprehensive colleges and university's partnerships.
In his speech on National Student-Athlete Day, Morris encouraged Rebels to take advantage of the lessons they learned during their competitive years. He discussed how their time as student-athletes serves to develop their communication skills and other talents that would lead to a successful career.
He also reinforced the fact that hard work not only benefits student-athletes while they compete, but it is also a key factor of success in their chosen fields of endeavor.
National Student-Athlete Day is America's day to celebrate outstanding student-athletes who have achieved excellence in academics and athletics while having made significant contributions to the community. The day was established by the National Consortium for Academics & Sports and Northeastern University's Center for the Study of Sport in Society and is co-sponsored by the NCAA.