Rising Stars Spotlights: Shiv Patel and Ashtin Larkin
Shiv Patel
Patel began her journey in college athletics as a senior at Rutgers University (RU) in the fall of 2014. At RU, she worked closely with the Office of Academic Support Services for Student-Athletes in various student roles. In 2016, she went on to work at Temple University (TU) on campus and in athletics. At TU, she worked in University Housing and Residential Life, Orientation, New Student, and Family Programs, and the Resnick Academic Center for Student-Athletes. Shiv went on to complete her post-grad full-time internship at Towson University, where she served as an academic advisor/learning specialist for football and olympic sports. She went onto work at the University of Rhode Island (URI) where she provided academic and career support services for student-athletes, taught a course to help students transition to URI, and supervised interns in the academic office. Shiv most recently served as the Assistant Director of Student-Athlete Services at Central Michigan University (CMU) where she provided academic support for four teams, advised the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, mentored the department's DEI intern and assisted in Student-Athlete Development programing.
She graduated from Rutgers University with a Bachelor's degree in Psychology in 2015 then went on to earn her Master's in Education with specialization in Higher Ed - Educational Leadership form Temple University in 2017. Shiv believes in lifelong learning and has gone on to earn certificates in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Sports Management, and Name, Image and Likeness. Shiv is an active member in National Association of Academic and Student-Athlete Development Professionals (N4A), Minority Opportunities Athletic Association (MOAA), and Women Leaders in College Sports. Through National Convention for N4A and MOAA as well as through Women Leaders Symposium (WLS 2020), she has grown a professional network that she can turn to and enhance services with. She is beyond grateful and owes her success to her mentors that supervised her, that encouraged her, and all those she has met through N4A, MOAA and Women Leaders.
The New Jersey (Central Jersey) native hopes to earn her doctorate and conduct research to bridge the gap in access, provide enhancement opportunities for women of color in the sports industry, and is an advocate for everyone to share and OWN their story. Shiv is a devoted student-athlete advocate who focuses on the holistic development of students to prepare them for life after college and sport.
Ashtin Larkin
Larkin graduated from West Virginia University with a degree in Criminology and Investigations. Upon graduation she returned to California to pursue her Master's Degree in Criminal Justice. Although Ashtin has worked as a Forensic Specialist for the past eight years, she has always had a passion for mentoring and advocating for student-athletes. Ashtin has worked with student-athletes in multiple different capacities since her playing days ended at WVU.
As a student-athlete, she often worried about the academic and professional futures of some of her fellow athletes. Although she pursued Forensics, she was constantly drawn to opportunities to be a mentor and make an impact on the lives of student-athletes. As Ashtin matriculated through life and career, she realized that she and her fellow athletes lacked the necessary business and legal acumen to succeed in business and the business of pro sports. The recent passing of the allowance of NIL in collegiate sports, reinforced her desire to go back to school to assist student-athletes in their transition. She no longer wanted to advocate for student-athletes from the sidelines, but instead wanted to advocate for them from inside the lines. Her law school education will give her a valuable understanding of contracts and the intersection of business, sports and law. Ashtin's Pivot into sports law is for the advocacy of student-athletes, particularly representing marginalized groups. As an advocate for change in the field of sports law, she look forward to positively impacting family legacies of the student-athletes she will come into contact with.
While attending WVU, she was the solo representative of student-athletes at the NCAA Leadership Conference. She still has fond memories of the conference and the profound impact it had on her growth as a leader. Since committing to her career pivot, she has thrust herself into the field of sports law. Larkin has attended sports law symposiums, spoken with multiple people in the field of sports law and conducted in-depth research on NIL. Thus far, Women Leaders in College Sports has made the biggest impact on her pivot. It has allowed her to see and hear firsthand from women like herself, who desire to make an impact on the lives of student-athletes.