Student Athlete Grows Advocacy Work and Connections on and off Campus
Justin Mack was a three-sport athlete in high school and was looking to continue his football career in college. After visiting Widener, he knew The Pride was the right fit for him.
- School of Business
Justin Mack was a three-sport athlete in high school and was looking to continue his football career in college. After visiting Widener, he knew The Pride was the right fit for him.
“I came on my visit, and it felt like home. All of the coaches and the equipment manager felt welcoming,” he said.
That welcoming energy has continued throughout his time at Widener and has opened doors for Justin in ways that he didn’t expect.
Justin grew up in a sports-loving household and had dreams of playing in the NFL. As he was continuing to play through high school and college, he realized the toll that a professional sports career would take on his body and decided to pivot.
“I wanted to do something that keeps me around sports while not actively putting my body on the line. I realize now I’m getting too old for that,” he said. “I always watched ESPN and would hear about multimillion-dollar contracts. Then I found out about being a sports agent.”
Justin realized that a career as a sports agent could help him continue to live in the sports works that he loves. He chose sport and event management at Widener to help him reach this goal.
“I want to be in the negotiation room, talking to athletes, and going to games because I just love sports,” he said.
In addition to his role as a student and player, Justin is part of Widener’s Athletic Advisory Committee and the group’s mental health/well-being division. Having experienced mental health challenges himself early in his college career, Justin has become an advocate to his peers about the importance of mental health.
“Mental health impacts your life. It really does and I’ve witnessed that first-hand and so that’s why I want to be the advocate. I want to be the football player who says mental health is serious,” Justin said.
Using his voice not just on his team but across campus, Justin encourages his friends to call him when they need someone to lean on. In addition to being an athletic student leader, Justin is also a member of Widener’s chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc.
“Particularly in my community- the Black male community- it’s hard to get that voice out there so I’m always pushing my efforts to say it’s okay to go to therapy, it’s okay to feel vulnerable,” he said. “And sometimes it’s hard to practice what you preach but it’s something I’m always looking to do to improve myself and grow my mental health as well.”
Through his connections on the Athletic Advisory Committee, Justin was offered an opportunity to attend the 2025 NCAA Division III Student Immersion Program, an annual program for students from diverse backgrounds to attend a three-day conference.
Out of over 400 applicants, Justin was one of 36 students from Division III schools across the country to be selected to attend the experience in Nashville, Tennessee. Justin says being around his peers and learning through engaging sessions together was a special experience.
“My favorite part was getting to talk to other D-III athletes who go through the same stuff as me and have the same struggles as me. We all came to D-III for a reason, and we all want to come out of D-III successful,” he said.
These connections have continued to grow long after the students returned to their campuses.
“We have a group chat, and we made a commitment to each other that we want to share our accomplishments. We talk almost every day. They really harped on us at the conference that only 36 of us got selected so if you ever feel down on yourself just remember you are part of that group.”
Most recently, Justin has been selected as the 2024-2025 recipient of the Tony and Barbara Pontello Sports Management Internship Award from the School of Business Administration. Students are nominated by faculty and are recognized at an annual awards banquet.
Justin credits Associate Athletic Director Larissa Gillespie for helping him to get this opportunity. Additionally, he recognized Jack Shafer, executive director of athletics, football Head Coach Mike Barainyak, and other faculty and staff from across the university for supporting him and encouraging him every step of his college journey.
“All these people have pushed me forward and helped me become who I am today,” Justin said. “It’s an amazing opportunity to come to this school and I’m forever thankful for everything.”
