Student-Athlete Community Engagement and Speaking Requests

We would like to notify you of the following change to our community service guidelines and strategy for fulfilling these requests:

Michigan Athletics is happy to assist with coordinating volunteer opportunities for our student-athletes. Given our NCAA and Compliance and institutional policies, any event(s) approved through our system will be marketed to the student-athlete population but we cannot guarantee their participation in your event. We are always excited to hear about the new and diverse ways our student-athletes can engage in the community but we ask that you remain patient with our student-athletes as they navigate their schedules to make a meaningful impact on their community.

Please note: Michigan Athletics will not assist in the arrangement of any student-athlete paid opportunities. Since the NCAA adopted name, image and likeness rules in July 2021, you can now contact student-athlete's directly for their autographs, paid appearances, and other paid marketing opportunities through the VICTORS Exchange. Visit www.mgoblue.com/victors to register for the VICTORS Exchange. Thank you in advance for understanding. Go Blue and Let's Go Do!

Thank you in advance for understanding. Go Blue and Let's Go Do!

» Continue to the Student-Athlete Speaking Requests form

University of Michigan Athletics receives numerous speaking and appearance requests on behalf of our coaches, student-athletes and athletic department staff. The NCAA and U-M Athletics strictly regulate the manner in which coaches, student-athletes and staff may participate in these activities.

In an effort to best process your request and to assist us with the internal approval process, please submit your appearance or speaking request using the link below. Requests must comply with the guidelines listed below. Please understand that submission of a request, even if all guidelines are met, does not guarantee that the request will be fulfilled.

The form below is only for student-athletes speaking requests. If you are looking to make a coach and athletic administrator request, please visit our: coach and athletic administrator page

Speaking and Appearance Guidelines

PURSUANT TO NCAA COMPLIANCE RULES AND REGULATIONS

Fundraising: Student-athletes are prohibited from raising funds to benefit any entity that serves prospect-aged individuals (grade 9 -12, or 7 - 12 in Men's Basketball), such as high schools, high school scholarship funds or booster clubs, club sports teams for high school students, specific high school students, etc.
Recruiting: Student-athletes are prohibited from making a recruiting presentation to or direct contact with any prospective student-athlete (or a prospective student-athlete's parents or legal guardians) in attendance at an event.
Current Obligations: A student-athlete may not attend functions which cause them to miss classes, study sessions, summer school, practices, competitions, medical appointments or other institutional obligations. It is extremely difficult for student-athletes to fulfill requests during their official playing season.
Name, Status and Likeness: Requests to utilize a student-athlete's name or image to promote the commercial sponsors or supporters of a charitable, educational or nonprofit agency and/or requests that are based solely upon their status or visibility as a student-athlete will not be approved.
Commercial Sponsors: If the event will have commercial sponsors, you must provide any promotional materials that will be used (i.e. flyers, advertisements), as student-athletes may neither endorse nor promote commercial products or retail businesses.
Benefits: With any appearance or activity, student-athletes may not accept benefits in excess of actual and necessary expenses to attend the function.

GENERAL REQUEST GUIDELINES:

Submission Timeline: All student-athlete speaking and appearance requests must be submitted through the online request system and must be received at least eight (8) weeks prior to the date of your event.
Approval Process: Online requests will first be routed to the appropriate Athletics staff for approval. If approved, it will go to Compliance for sign-off. If the request meets NCAA guidelines, a member of the Athletics staff will contact the organization to arrange details and schedule the appearance or speaking engagement.
Local Organizations: Due to limited calendar availability and logistical challenges, priority will be given to organizations within the state of Michigan .
Time Conflicts: Due to the time constraints on student-athletes' schedules, requests with open-ended dates will not be considered.
Additional Documents: Speaking and appearance requests must be accompanied by documentation of the event via a flyer, website information, etc.

Make an Appearance Request