Dear Students, Colleagues, Trustees, and Friends of the College,
This week we are delighted to have our Terriers back on campus. When the term ends each December, we naturally welcome a break from our routines and responsibilities, but without students around, campus soon begins to feel too quiet. For College faculty and staff, students are not only our purpose: they are our energy, our motivation, and our joy, so for us, this is a happy week.
With each new year, based on national trends and the needs of the College, I choose an area of focus for my own professional development. This year, with a new vice president of athletics, an impressive 75% of our first-year class participating in collegiate sports, and a new contract with Opendorse—a leading Name, Image, & Likeness (NIL) marketplace and support system—I decided it was the perfect year to focus on athletics.
At the NCAA Convention in Washington, D.C. last week, not only did I have the opportunity to spend dedicated, quality time with two of our Terrier leaders; I also had the opportunity to reflect on the philosophy and legacy of Division III athletics and to hear directly from student-athletes from across the country about why Division III is so special. The only division of collegiate athletics in which scholarships may not be given for athletic performance, Division III has maintained its focus on academics and provided a safe haven for amateurism in sport. In Division III, athletes are treated as whole students, encouraged to try out for the play or to run for student senate, and most important, allowed to find the sport-life balance that works for them.
The legacy and philosophy of Division III are especially important as we begin our partnership with Opendorse. At Thomas, we are serious about supporting our Terriers in understanding their right to profit from their name, image, and likeness. But we are in it for the education, not for the money. Every student at Thomas College deserves to understand what NIL means for them; every student at Thomas College deserves to learn how to create a personal brand and how to leverage social media to design the life they want; and every student at Thomas College deserves to know the pitfalls and risks associated with the world of social media and NIL. Every individual in the United States has the right to profit from their name, image, and likeness, and in that context, we at Thomas College are proud to be a leader in equipping our students with the knowledge, skills, and perspective to navigate the rapidly expanding world of social media and NIL.
Please join me in celebrating the beginning of the Spring 2026 term, and keep your eye on Thomas as we begin an exciting new chapter with NIL in Terrier Athletics.
Sending my best,
Jeannine Diddle Uzzi, Ph.D.
President