The Department of Sports at UWI, Mona hosts the second staging of the UWI Sports Leadership Academy from July 19-22, 2011 for 14-16 years old secondary school males.  This Academy is designed to encourage athletically inclined young men to aspire for tertiary education and to assist in shaping them to be well rounded leaders. Additionally, the Academy will expose them to positive role models through interactive sessions dubbed, “Mighty Men of Jamaica”. The initiative is in response to the disproportionate number of males at the tertiary level of education in comparison to their female counterpart.
 
Over the four day event the forty-one participants from 12 secondary schools from across Jamaica will be engaged in a range of interactive activities including presentations on Time Management, Etiquette, Public Speaking, Stress Management, HIV/ AIDS Awareness and Career Opportunities in Sports. Additionally the participants will partake in sporting activities, team building exercises, leadership training, campus tour and a community service project.  These sessions will be lead by UWI administrators, academics and other local experts. The UWI Sports Leadership Academy culminates with an Awards Ceremony on Friday, July 22, 2011 at 1 pm at the Rex Nettleford Hall during which the most outstanding participant will be recognized. The guest speaker on this occasion will be ACP Elan Powell.
 
This initiative is a part of the efforts of the UWI, Mona Sports Department to provide developmental programmes to pre-university students. Other such initiatives include the Football Competition and Football Scholarship Festival. The University also offers scholarships in football, netball, cricket and track and field to academically inclined athletes.