Dr. Marc M. Camille, President, Albertus Magnus College
NCAA Division III Week is more than an annual celebration—it's a reminder of what college athletics is meant to be.
I'm a sports fanatic at heart. I played three sports at the Division III level. Athletics helped shape my character and played a pivotal role in my development as a child and young adult. Today, as President of Albertus Magnus College and in my role currently serving as Chair of the NCAA Division III Presidents Council, I have the privilege of seeing firsthand what makes this model so powerful and compelling. Division III is not about athletic scholarships or focusing on the media spotlight. It's about something far more enduring: opportunity, balance, and purpose.
Across campuses like Albertus Magnus College and throughout the nation's more than 400 Division III member institutions, student-athletes are first and foremost... students, pursuing degrees that shape their futures while competing at a high level because they love the sport (or sports) they play. They are leaders in the classroom, in the community, and in athletics competition.
This is where Division III athletics becomes transformational.
Division III provides access. It opens doors for students to continue competing while fully engaging in the academic, social, and developmental opportunities that define a college experience. It prioritizes mentorship over money-making, growth over transactions, and lifelong impact over short-term gain.
Division III student-athletes graduate at higher rates. Division III student-athletes often learn the meaning of service through giving back and engaging in the communities in which their colleges are located. They go on to become teachers, nurses, entrepreneurs, scientists, coaches, and civic leaders. They carry with them lessons in teamwork, resilience, discipline, and integrity—lessons that last long after the final whistle.
In a time when college athletics is increasingly assumed to be defined by commercialization and complication, Division III remains grounded in what matters most: a commitment to the holistic student-athlete experience.
During this year's Division III Week, we celebrate more than competition. More than wins. We celebrate a philosophy—one that affirms you can pursue excellence in sport and in life, without compromise.
That's the power, the purpose of Division III. And I suggest it's never been more relevant and worth championing.
