Courtesy of NCA&T Athletics
EAST GREENSBORO — North Carolina A&T‘s assistant athletics director for equipment Katrina Campbell was selected as one of the panelists for the historically black college or university (HBCU) Careers in Football Forum (CFF), hosted by the NFL.
The forum took place on Thursday, Dec. 10 and consisted of a 30-minute, moderator-led Q&A session followed by a 10-minute student Q&A.
“Personally, to be selected validates my voice and knowledge as being important and necessary,” said Campbell. “It means that I am in the right place to be able to help others. Professionally, to be selected means that my work and work ethic are speaking for themselves. Any and everything I do I put forth my best effort. If my name is attached, I want to make sure it is right!”
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Campbell is the only female head equipment manager in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), and she was also the only equipment manager on this year’s CFF panel. Breaking barriers is nothing new for Campbell.
After graduating from N.C. A&T in 2004 with a Bachelor of Science in physical education/fitness & wellness, she served in the Air Force before being medically retired at the rank of captain. Even further, she is an eight-year breast cancer survivor.
“To represent my alma mater to the NFL and a national HBCU event is remarkable,” said Campbell. “This was a chance for me to give back to the university by representing it in a positive and professional light. HBCUs are more than a place of higher education; they are home, they are family, they are an opportunity, they are vital!
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I have gained so much from my alma mater and I was proud to be able to represent North Carolina Agricultural and Technical University.”
As an employee of N.C. A&T, Campbell handles the equipment operations and contracts for 17 Division I men’s and women’s sports. Campbell has the responsibility of ensuring all athletics uniforms and apparel for N.C. A&T is designed according to conference, university and NCAA rules, as well as proper sizing and fitting techniques to outfit the athletes appropriately and safely.
Her responsibility on the panel was to provide her insights and experiences from her point of view with the assistance of a moderator to help provide a smooth and informative discussion. Topics discussed included: recommendations for internships to take part in while in school and advice to students looking to be involved in college athletics. Campbell got to speak to and encourage the students and give them some insight as to what it is actually like being in college athletics and what it takes to get there.
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“Being the only equipment manager on the panel, and the entire forum, was a blessing,” said Campbell. “So often, athletic equipment contributions are rarely recognized. I’ve had moments when student equipment managers were disappointed when equipment is not highlighted like other fields. I encourage equipment managers to always put forth their best effort and know that their work is extremely important. This was an opportunity to represent athletic equipment in a positive light and encourage them to continue towards their goals.”