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During his freshman year, Royer joined the college's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), and in the four years since, he has continued taking on new responsibilities. As a junior, he joined the national Division III Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, and as a senior, he became one of two student-athlete members of the Division III Management Council, where he votes alongside athletic directors, faculty athletics representatives, chief executive officers, and conference representatives.

AM: How was last month's Management Council meeting?
Royer: It was great. We got a lot of work done, especially on our Division III SAAC student-athlete identity platform. We took some big steps, and we're making a lot of progress.

What are the biggest issues facing Division III?
The biggest legislation right now concerns facility monitoring. Coaches aren't currently allowed to be in their facilities while student-athletes are holding informal practices. For example, basketball coaches can't be present while their student-athletes are playing pick-up games in the gym, and the same is true of all other sport coaches. We feel this is a safety issue, and we'd like coaches to be able to monitor their facilities for the safety of all student-athletes.

The other big issue is the end date for non-traditional sports. As it stands right now, the fall season for non-traditional sports has to end by Oct. 30. We're trying to draft a rule that will make things more equal between fall and spring, so the season will end five weekdays before the start of exams, whether schools follow a quarter, trimester, or semester calendar.

What are the responsibilities of the two student-athletes on the Management Council?
My biggest job is taking everything that's been addressed at SAAC and conveying it to the Management Council. We voice the opinions expressed at SAAC, listen to the responses of the Management Council, and bring those discussions back to SAAC.

Division III is the only division that allows student-athletes to vote on the Management Council, and that's a testament to how the division views its student-athletes. When a proposal is up for a vote at the convention and a student-athlete stands up to say, "This is what we think," every single person drops whatever they're doing to listen. There's no doubt that we sway a lot of votes.

How does it feel to sit on the Council?
It's a good feeling. It was overwhelming at first, and I was really counting on the other student-athlete representative. But once I started talking to the other members, they really weren't intimidating at all. They're all there for us, and they're just as passionate as student-athletes.

What is the national SAAC working on right now?
We're getting ready to launch our Division III student-athlete identity platform at the NCAA Convention, which is a really vital part of what it means to be a Division III athlete. We are getting very good feedback on the work we've done so far, and everybody is very excited.

All too often, people define Division III by the things we're not. We don't have athletic scholarships and our lives are not consumed by athletics. By having an identity platform, when a job interviewer asks why we chose Division III, we'll be able to look them in the eye and say exactly what it means to be a Division III athlete and how it's helped us in our lives. I can't reveal the details, because it hasn't been officially released, but the comments we've gotten are, "This absolutely hits it perfectly. This embodies everything it means to be a Division III student-athlete."

What does being a Division III student-athlete mean to you?
It allows me to pursue all my passions. Baseball is an important part of my life at Rhodes, but I'm not there just to play baseball, I'm there to learn. The most important thing about being a Division III student-athlete is choice. You choose how to balance your life, and participation in sports helps make you a well-rounded individual.

How is your experience on the Management Council helping you as a student-athlete?
The biggest way it's helped me is in communication. There's a lot of preparation that goes into effectively expressing the positions of student-athletes. We have to be organized, and we have to be ready to tell everyone on the Management Council exactly how we feel and why we feel it. For the two of us to convey the opinions of all D-III student-athletes is a daunting task, and being on the Management Council has taught me to set aside my personal opinions and really listen to what other people have to say.

How much time do you dedicate to the Management Council and the national SAAC?
It's quite a bit of time, but it's very manageable. Each year, we have four Management Council meetings, three SAAC meetings, and various conference calls. It's a significant time commitment, but the NCAA is very good at working with student-athletes and everyone understands we're balancing a lot of responsibilities.

What do you want athletic directors to tell student-athletes about your work on the Management Council?
Let your student-athletes know we're here to represent them. We're not on these committees to speak for ourselves--we're here to represent every student-athlete in Division III. Encourage your student-athletes to reach out to their representatives and voice their opinions. That's why we're here.

What have you gained in your time on the Management Council?
Personally, the biggest takeaway is my decision to find a career in sports. When I started at Rhodes, I was planning to work as a financial analyst. I still love finance, but being on the Management Council has shown me a side of athletics that extends beyond the playing field. When I graduate in May, I'd like to work at an NCAA post-graduate internship, either in governance, enforcement, or media relations. Ultimately, I'd like to get involved with player management and representation. More than anything, this experience has opened my eyes to the possibilities of working in sports for the rest of my life.

Kenny Berkowitz is an Assistant Editor at Athletic Management.