CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – The American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) hosted its ninth Student-Athlete Leadership Conference (SALC) over the weekend, Friday-Sunday, September 12-14. The conference views these events as primarily educational but also a way to bond the A-R-C’s athletics community.
The group opened the event learning about conference operations and a fun, entertaining icebreaker activity. To conclude night one, the A-R-C welcomed Liza Johnson, Director of the Wendt Center for Character Education at the University of Dubuque. Johnson passionately had a conversation with the group around being a good character on the playing surface and fan in the stands.
Saturday morning began with a session from A-R-C partner, The Zone, as the conference continues to champion mental health wellbeing for student-athletes. Each student-athlete in attendance at the SALC will receive a membership to The Zone to provide anonymous feedback to the league office.
Saturday morning continued with Ali Wilson, A-R-C Assistant Commissioner, giving a presentation about the awards in the league. This presentation came with importance around receiving feedback from student-athletes as the league conducts an awards audit during the 2025-26 academic year in conjunction with the strategic plan.
After lunch on Saturday, Donna Ledwin, former Alleghany Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC), facilitated the NCAA Division III LGBTQ+ OneTeam Program.
Later on Saturday, the league recorded the student-led production of public service announcement videos on a variety of topics.
Saturday afternoon concluded with a wellness activity by Hannah Halverson, A-R-C Deputy Commissioner and a session on NCAA Hot Topics as Marie Stroman, A-R-C Commissioner, walked through proposals upcoming at the 2026 NCAA Convention.
Saturday evening ended with a social at Pickle Palace.
Student-athletes were encouraged on Sunday to return to campus and continue the conversations on campus regarding the topics they learned about. The conference ended the weekend with an alumni panel and a final session of reflection. Jack Bell (Luther Alum), Max Cleveland (Simpson Alum), Hannah Halverson (Luther Alum), and Jared Thoma (Coe Alum) was highlighted how these A-R-C alums have leveraged their experiences as an A-R-C student-athlete now in the real world, personally and professionally.
The student-athletes understand that their attendance this weekend was a sacrifice and they made the choice to become better leaders for their schools, the A-R-C, and their communities.
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About the American Rivers Conference
Nationally respected for excellence in NCAA Division III athletics, the American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) has a tradition dating back to its founding in 1922 as the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Association and adopted its current name in 2018 to reflect its strong Iowa roots and growing regional footprint. The A-R-C is a collaborative community that champions the holistic development of student-athletes, uniting member institutions in a shared commitment to academic achievement, athletic distinction, and leadership.
The A-R-C is home to nine full-time member institutions: Buena Vista University, Central College, Coe College, University of Dubuque, Loras College, Luther College, Nebraska Wesleyan University, Simpson College, and Wartburg College. Luther College has announced its departure from the conference, effective at the conclusion of the 2025–26 academic year.
