ATLANTA, Ga. (September 16, 2026) – The Collegiate Conference of the South (CCS) is proud to announce that Leilah Lewinson, Coordinator for Athletic Communications, has been selected as for the CSC Inclusion Fellowship.
Now in its sixth year, the CSC Inclusion Fellowship is an educational series for select members of CSC designed to provide insights into issues around inclusive best practices, values and opportunities for communications and creative professionals in college athletics. The program aims to foster a deeper understanding of how individuals in athletic communications offices at all levels become effective advocates for inclusion in college athletics, as well as how to better support student-athletes, coaches and fellow administrators at the campus, conference and national levels.
The 2026-27 theme of the Fellowship is “Advocacy Through Adversity.” The year-long cohort, which includes 15 participants, features dynamic speakers headlining monthly virtual meetings geared to equip participants with practical and tangible strategies to better serve their constituents.
The program kicks off in September and culminates at the association’s 2027 CSC Unite in Orlando where the Fellows will receive a certificate for completing the program and will be recognized in person at the convention.
"It is amazing that this class is the sixth cohort of our Inclusion Fellowship, especially this year as we are celebrating the 10th year of the CSC Inclusion Committee," said Scottie Rodgers, CSC Inclusion Fellowship co-founder, CSC Inclusion Committee founding member and vice president of communications at the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic. "The commitment to create and cultivate a culture of inclusion and belonging for our members truly makes CSC a leader in college athletics. We are excited to empower this class of Fellows with another year of learning, sharing and personal growth."
Program faculty will include highly regarded thought leaders from within college athletics and outside the industry. The program is administered by members of the CSC Inclusion Committee.
“The CSC Inclusion Fellowship is an important part of our commitment to developing the next generation of leaders in sports communications,” said Executive Director Jason Yaman. “We are thrilled to have this group of talented professionals join the fellowship and to provide them with opportunities to build relationships, expand their professional networks and learn from one another. We’re excited to see how this class will grow and contribute to CSC and the broader collegiate athletics community.”
In the first five years of the Fellowship, more than 80 CSC members have participated in this transformative program that is an industry leader in offering inclusion-centric educational opportunities.
CSC Inclusion Fellowship Class of 2026-27
Assistant Director of Athletics Communications
Associate Director of Strategic Communications
Director of Creative Content and Associate Director of Strategic Communications
Assistant Athletic Director for Athletic Communications
Assistant Director of Sports Information
Graduate Assistant for Creative Content
Assistant Director of Athletic Communications & Media Relations
Coordinator of Athletic Communications
Athletic Communications Assistant
Creative Content Director
Assistant Director of Athletic Communications
Instructor, Kinesiology Department
Assistant Executive Director
Assistant Director of Athletics Communications
Director of Sports Information
ABOUT THE COLLEGIATE CONFERENCE OF THE SOUTH
The CCS is an NCAA Division III athletic conference that began play during the 2022-23 academic year. The conference features seven member institutions (Agnes Scott College, Asbury University, Belhaven University, Covenant College, Huntingdon College, LaGrange College, and Piedmont University) and sponsors championships across 16 sports. In addition to sharing the member institutions' geographic identity, the name 'Collegiate Conference of the South' is indicative of a shared commitment to academic excellence, which is commensurate with the NCAA Division III philosophy.
About College Sports Communicators (CSC)
College Sports Communicators is the premier membership association for all strategic, creative and digital professionals working in intercollegiate athletics across all levels for colleges, universities and conferences across the United States and Canada. CSC provides year-round leadership, community, professional development/education, recognition and advocacy for its 4,900-plus members. Founded in 1957 as the College Sports Information Directors of America, the organization rebranded in 2022 to position itself as a more inclusive organization for communicators in all types of roles and to lead an industry change where strategic and creative professionals are more aligned. CSC’s signature work includes the annual CSC Unite convention each June and the administration of the prestigious Academic All-America® program and Hall of Fame. Since 1952, nearly 46,000 of the world’s most elite student-athletes have been recognized with Academic All-America status in all sports.