PORTLAND, Ore. — Zack Mandera and Zoe McBride of the Portland State football and volleyball teams, respectively, have been selected as two of only 200 attendees across all three NCAA divisions for the NCAA's Career in Sports Forum. The forum will take place June 2-5 in Indianapolis, Ind.
 
The Career in Sports Forum offers the selected student-athletes the opportunity to learn about and explore potential careers in sports, particularly in college athletics. The forum allows attendees to network with peers and decision-makers at the campus, conference and national level of college athletics. Content will meet the following program objectives:

• Educate participants on how personal strengths intersect with career opportunities.
• Provide participants with tangible experiences that will push them forward in their aspiration for a career in sports.
• Explore professional and career development strategies to help the transition to a career in the sports industry.
• Learn about the role of an intercollegiate coach, athletics administrator and national governing body staff member.

 
"The NCAA Career in Sports Forum is a fantastic professional development opportunity for our student-athletes to explore career options within athletics and network and learn with student-athletes and administrators from across the country. We are excited to have Zack and Zoe represent Portland State University in Indianapolis," Portland State Assistant Athletic Director for Academics Lindsay Coburn said of Mandera and McBride's selections.
 
Attendees will attend lectures from guest speakers covering the topics of self-awareness and its role in professional development, practical approaches to the sports job search, personal branding, developing a career plan and managing yourself as a professional in the sports industry. Panels, breakout discussions, keynote presentations and facilitated dialogues will supplement the guest speaker sessions.
 
Mandera, a junior on the football team in 2022, enters the forum wanting to pursue a career in coaching. Meanwhile, McBride, a fifth-year senior on the volleyball team, will pursue the administration track as a business major at Portland State.
 
Portland State has had success sending student-athletes to the forum recently as the athletic department has sent seven student-athletes over the previous three years. The Vikings had three student-athletes attend the forum in 2019 between Krystal de Ramos and Kasey Isobe of the Portland State women's soccer team, and Houston Barnes of the Portland State football team. The Vikings also had three attendees in 2020 between Cody Jones and Taylor Elliott of the Portland State track & field program, and Kylie Jimenez of the Portland State women's basketball team. Paige Donathan, of the Portland State women's soccer team, was the Vikings' lone attendee in 2021.
 
The NCAA covers all costs for attending the forum, including all travel, lodging, meals and program materials for the student-athletes.