The SIAC Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) met at their third meeting of the year. After their meeting the crew gathered together and went to help a needy family, by building a home for them and aiding the Habitat for Humanity of Tuscaloosa, AL.
SIAC staff, eleven SAAC members and two advisors from Clark Atlanta, Tuskegee, LeMoyne-Owen, Lane, and Stillman were all volunteers to help build the home. They helped rehabilitate a home near the campus of Stillman College on 32nd Court. The SIAC volunteers assisted Devon, the construction crew leader, mounting the mailbox, posting siding on the house, measured window seals, and cleaned the landscaping. They completed three hours of community service before heading to their respective teams to participate in the SIAC Spring Sports Championship April 16-20, 2008.

The home the SIAC helped revitalize was one of four in that area that Habitat for Humanity helped rebuild. Susan Bishop, Development Director for HFH of Tuscaloosa, really enjoyed the aid the SIAC provided and stated “We would love to have the SIAC back next year”.

SAAC Advisors included Dr. Harriott Hamilton of Stillman College and Eneka Burks of LeMoyne-Owen College. SAAC students included Sharice Estorda (CAU), Whitley Smith (CAU), Porscha Echols (TU), Shandera Gardiner (LMOC), Rochel Holder (LMOC), Jessica Mitchem (LMOC), Jihad Sharif (LMOC), Joycelyn Austin (LC), Leonard Merriman (SC), and Sylvester “Swirl” Campbell (SC).

(SAAC) student-athlete advisory committee is a committee made up of student-athletes assembled to provide insight on the student-athlete experience. The SAAC also offers input on the rules, regulations and polices that affect student-athletes’ lives on NCAA member institution campuses. Presently, there are separate national SAACs for NCAA Divisions I, II and III. NCAA legislation mandates that all member institutions have SAAC on their respective campuses. Further, NCAA legislation requires that all member conferences have SAAC.

Habitat for Humanity International is a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian housing ministry. HFHI seeks to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness from the world, and to make decent shelter a matter of conscience and action. Habitat invites people of all backgrounds, races and religions to build houses together in partnership with families in need. Collegiate Challenge volunteers trim vinyl siding.
Habitat has built more than 250,000 houses around the world, providing more than 1 million people in more than 3,000 communities with safe, decent, affordable shelter. HFHI was founded in 1976 by Millard Fuller along with his wife, Linda.

For more information on Habitat for Humanity please visit www.habitat.org

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