Certified NIL Advisor
Scholar. Leader. Athlete.
Empowering the next generation to think critically, lead boldly, and compete ethically—in education, athletics, and beyond.
Who I Am
I am an educator, leader, and lifelong athlete committed to transforming how we think about education, athletics, and opportunity. My work exists at the intersection of scholarship, leadership development, and athletic empowerment — three pillars that have shaped my life and continue to guide my mission.
As an assistant professor in the College of Education at Belmont University, I have the privilege of preparing the next generation of educators and leaders. But my journey to this role was anything but linear. It was forged in classrooms, on athletic fields, in administrative offices, and through the lived experiences of students who needed someone to believe in them — and to fight for them.
Dr. Devin Delaughter
Dr. Devin Delaughter
Academic Bio
Dr. Devin L. DeLaughter is an Assistant Professor in Belmont University’s College of Education. Dr. DeLaughter received his B.S. from The University of the South (Sewanee) in Mathematics, his M.Ed. from Covenant College in Educational Leadership, and his Ed.D. from Dallas Baptist University.
Dr. DeLaughter has served as an educational leader in multiple capacities within the K-12 setting including Assistant Principal, Director of Athletics, and Headmaster over the course of his career. Prior to moving into administration on a full-time basis, Dr. DeLaughter served as a math and science teacher at the elementary, middle and secondary levels.
Within the higher education sphere, Dr. DeLaughter centers his academic research and community service at the intersection of operationalized transformational leadership theory; the academic experience of African American Boys in k-12 educational institutions; Social Justice through the lens of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; and interscholastic athletics.
What Is NIL?
NIL — Name, Image, and Likeness — allows student-athletes to profit from the value they create through their personal identity.
Grounded in the legal concept of the right of publicity, NIL ensures that no company, brand, or institution can profit from an athlete’s identity without their permission.
NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness)
Gives student-athletes the right to profit from their personal brand, including their name, photo, voice, and signature.
Rooted in the right of publicity
NIL ensures that no company or organization can use an athlete’s identity for commercial gain without permission.
NIL opportunities
Include social-media partnerships, endorsements, autographs, appearances, personal merchandise, camps, and more.
NIL empowers athletes
To build long-term personal and professional brands while still competing in interscholastic or collegiate athletics.
Leadership Experience
Over a decade of transformative leadership across K-12 and higher education, building systems that foster accountability, excellence, and grace.
Headmaster
Leading an entire school community with a vision rooted in academic excellence, character development, and inclusive opportunity. Establishing culture, policy, and practice that honors every student's potential.
Director of Athletics
Overseeing athletic programs that prioritized student development, ethical competition, and the integration of athletics into the broader educational mission. Building champions on and off the field.
Assistant Principal
Supporting teachers, mentoring students, and building systems that fostered both accountability and grace. Creating environments where educators thrive and students flourish.
Teacher
Teaching mathematics and science at elementary, middle, and secondary levels. These years in the classroom remain the foundation of everything I do—teaching taught me empathy and the power of belief.
Athletic Identity
Athletics has been a constant in my life. As a powerlifter, I’ve learned the value of discipline, incremental progress, and mental toughness. Powerlifting is not a sport of flash or spectacle—it’s a sport of preparation, patience, and perseverance.
But more than that, athletics has taught me about leadership under pressure. It’s taught me how to coach, how to motivate, and how to help others see potential in themselves that they didn’t know existed.
As a coach and athletic director, I’ve had the honor of working with student-athletes who were not just competitors, but scholars and leaders in their own right. I’ve watched them navigate injury, disappointment, and doubt—and emerge stronger.
Mission
To empower students, educators, and institutions to lead with integrity, think with clarity, and act with purpose.
Education
Education is the most powerful tool for transformation—but only if it's done with intention, equity, and love.
Leadership
Leadership is not a title, but a practice—one that requires humility, courage, and a commitment to serving others.
Athletics
Athletics, when done right, can teach lessons that last a lifetime—about discipline, resilience, teamwork, and excellence.
NIL
Athletics, when done right, can teach lessons that last a lifetime—about discipline, resilience, teamwork, and excellence.