Football | 1/28/2016 1:37:00 PM

ITHACA, N.Y. —When he walked onto the Ithaca College campus as a freshman, Malik Morris knew he wanted to play football for Hall of Fame coach Mike Welch, and he knew he wanted to pursue a degree in physical therapy.

As a talented football player at Sewanhaka High School in New Hyde Park, N.Y., Morris' play earned him All-American honors on both sides of the ball.

But while Morris was excelling on the playing field, he freely admits his teammates looked up to him not because of his leadership skills, but because he was the best player on the team.

The thought of evolving into one of the most dedicated student leaders on South Hill didn't occur to Morris until the completion of his junior season.

As his teammates were cleaning out their lockers and taking stock of a campaign that saw Ithaca post a 7-4 record, claim its second straight Empire 8 championship, and earn a berth in the NCAA Division III tournament, Morris was placed into a prominent leadership role for his senior season: as a captain on one of the most storied and decorated Division III programs in the country. 

He would be a voice of reason in the locker room, on the playing field, and on campus for his football teammates, but his role as a leader extended far beyond the football locker room.

Morris became involved with IC's Leadership Academy, and he also served as the marketing chairperson for Ithaca's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (S.A.A.C.) as he continued his transformation into an outspoken and well-respected figure on campus.

In late January, Morris, a physical therapy major with a 3.29 cumulative grade-point average, added to his awards when he received the prestigious National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete Award from the Central New York chapter for his dedication to excellence on the football field, in the classroom, and in the community.

As part of the recognition for this award, Morris's name will be forever etched in the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, Ga. 

"I want to be a leader, someone that my teammates and my peers can count on. To be viewed as a leader on this campus is great," said Morris, a defensive back and four-year member of the football team whose stellar play landed him a spot in the annual Dream Bowl, a showcase event for the top players in the nation.
 
"The campus has the trust in me to teach leadership values to the other student-athletes on campus, and that feels great. The little things I'm doing to improve as a leader are paying off and I'm proud that I'm able to influence others on this campus in a good way."

It's a far cry from when Morris first arrived on campus. He admits he didn't know much about being a good leader to his teammates, and that he was mostly focused on improving his own skills more than trying to raise up his teammates.

"I definitely didn't think I would become this type of leader when I came to campus, especially all of my involvement on this campus," said Morris, who points to having great character, leading by example, earning the respect of others, and always doing the right thing as the biggest traits of a good leader.

"I see a big difference now in my role as a leader from where I was as a senior in high school. This year I was able to influence, motivate and show how I can lead by example for my teammates."

Through a decorated career that saw him appear in 38 games and make 154 tackles with 20 pass break-ups and six interceptions, Morris proved himself to be a ball-hawk in the secondary with a knack for delivering a big play.

Off the field, Morris has stepped into an even bigger leadership role on campus. He serves as a member of Ithaca's Leadership Academy, and is a member of the Difficult Dialogues committee on sexual assault group that addresses the issue of sexual assault, sexual violence, rape, and consent on campus.

The group holds multiple community discussions to talk about these important issues, and promises a safe space for individuals that have been affected by sexual assault.

"The Difficult Dialogues group is meant to raise awareness about the topics of sexual assault and rape on campus, and I thought it was great for me to get involved," said Morris, who has a minor in sports psychology.

"We have been doing events and trying to spread awareness of the issues of sexual assaults and rapes on campus, and what can be done to help prevent these from occurring if possible. We're going to be talking about interventions and how to be part of the solution, and not just someone who may witness or see something."

Starting in 2014, Ithaca's department of intercollegiate athletics implemented a comprehensive, multi-year Leadership Academy program with a mission to develop leadership traits in its student-athletes.

Led by Dr. Greg Shelley, the Leadership Academy instills traits and philosophies that will be applicable in student-athletes' sport participation at Ithaca College and will also serve them in professional and personal endeavors for the rest of their lives.

Morris is one of 300 student-athletes representing all 27 varsity sports who participate in the program, which builds upon its curriculum across each year of the Academy.

Selected first-year student-athletes will take part in the Developing Leaders program. The sophomore student-athletes will progress into the Rising Leaders Program, and juniors will participate in the Team Leaders Program. The Leadership Academy positions Ithaca College as having the nation's premier Division III sports leadership development program.

"Leadership Academy made me a better leader and it made me more confident in my leadership skills," Morris said. "Being able to make an impact through communication, through character, and through leading by example. Those are the little things the Leadership Academy has taught us along the way. A lot of what we learned will stay with us beyond our time at Ithaca as we can take this into the work place."

For all his efforts as an emerging leader, the Ithaca College athletics department will nominate Morris for the annual Arthur Ashe, Jr. Sports Scholar Award that honors undergraduate students who have excelled in the classroom as well as on the athletic field.

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