ATLANTA, Ga. (August 17, 2026) – From representing Piedmont University at the Collegiate Conference of the South Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) Retreat to serving children at Camp Kudzu and continuing a favorite summer tradition with friends, Piedmont University soccer student-athlete Katelyn Brown made the most of her summer through leadership, service and time spent making memories.

A rising junior, Brown began her summer by attending the 2026 CCS SAAC Retreat in Huntsville, Alabama, where she represented Piedmont University as a SAAC representative. The experience gave Brown an opportunity to connect with student-athletes from across the conference and collaborate on ideas aimed at improving the student-athlete experience.

“Representing Piedmont for my second year at the CCS SAAC retreat taught me to be more confident in sharing my ideas and to collaborate with student-athletes from different schools,” Brown said. “Although we compete against one another throughout the year, we came together this summer to share our ideas and work towards improving our conference.”

Beyond her work with SAAC, Brown spent part of her summer volunteering as a cabin counselor at Camp Kudzu in Rutledge, Georgia. The summer camp provides children living with type 1 diabetes (T1D) with an opportunity to build connections, gain confidence and develop greater independence in managing their diabetes.

For Brown, the experience carried an especially personal meaning.

“My favorite part of this summer was volunteering as a cabin counselor at Camp Kudzu,” Brown said. “As a type 1 diabetic myself, I could relate to my campers and co-counselors by understanding the everyday challenges we all face from managing T1D.”

As a counselor, Brown helped campers navigate different aspects of their daily routines while creating a fun, supportive and positive camp environment. The experience also challenged her to adapt to the individual needs and personalities of each camper.

“Volunteering at Camp Kudzu taught me adaptability because type 1 diabetes and working with kids can be unpredictable,” Brown said. “I learned my camper’s individual needs and adapted my approach to each situation to fit their personalities, creating a supportive and positive camp experience for everyone.”

Her summer experiences also strengthened Brown’s leadership skills. Between representing Piedmont at the CCS SAAC Retreat and working with campers at Camp Kudzu, she learned the value of being flexible, confident and willing to step into leadership opportunities.

After her time at Camp Kudzu, Brown wrapped up her summer with a trip to Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina, with three of her high school friends. The group has vacationed together at Ocean Isle Beach for the past five years, making the annual trip a meaningful tradition.

“I have vacationed at Ocean Isle Beach for the past 5 years with three of my high school friends, and I had an amazing time continuing our tradition together again this summer,” Brown said.

As Brown prepares to return to Piedmont for her junior  year and another season of soccer, she brings with her lessons in leadership, adaptability and service, along with memories made both within the CCS and beyond the soccer field.

When asked to select the song that best captured her summer, Brown chose Taylor Swift’s “Cruel Summer,” providing the soundtrack to a season filled with leadership, service, friendship and summer traditions.