The Richard A. Baddour Carolina Leadership Academy wrapped up the 2014-15 school year April 13 with its annual banquet, providing a celebratory finale to a year that saw student-athletes invest nearly 8,000 hours in leadership training and development.

Shelley Johnson, Director of the Leadership Academy, opened the evening at the Loudermilk Center Blue Zone with that impressive number, as well as others:

• 72 workshops held

• 1,724 evaluations completed for 360-feedback

• 231 Carolina CREED participants, 112 Rising Stars, 25 Leadership Lab participants and 73 Veteran Leaders

“The numbers are significant and give a great overview, but what’s even more significant is watching the student-athletes’ individual growth throughout the school year,” Johnson said. “Throughout the five student levels of programming, we see them living up to our motto and becoming ‘world-class leaders in athletics, academics and life.’ These are skills they’ll use throughout their lives.”