Caleb Chambliss

Story By: D. OLIVIA ROJAS, MS, MSW

Caleb Chambliss is a former collegiate athlete now pursuing his doctoral degree in Educational Leadership and Policy. His life vision is to bring his non-profit Top Dog into reality as the “global influence for high school athlete development.” Caleb has an established record in leadership development among high school and college-aged students, with a particular focus on athlete identity development. He’s currently the Program Coordinator in the Experiential Learning Department in the University of Florida’s College of Business. Caleb uses experiential learning to provide students with low-risk, real-life simulations to explore who they are as people, professionals, and leaders.

Caleb’s approach to leadership is to build a sustainable foundation that will uphold the next generation. He teaches students to look at their life with intention and purpose. To stop moving on autopilot and truly live in the present moment. Teach- ing them to make purpose out of each day, choice, and connection shows them how to slow down and experience life in the fullest ways. Caleb’s experiential learning programs develop students’ ability to think strategically, practice perspective taking, en- gage in increased personal reflection, and to think and dream bigger than the everyday. He empowers them to take agency over their lives.

Caleb found his passion for identity and leadership development among athletes in particular during his own experience realizing an athletic career was not realistic for him.

Caleb reflected on this experience, summarizing it as “when you can’t do this anymore, you start to question who you are as a person.” Equipping athletes with the skills to develop solid, autonomous, and purpose-driven identities teaches them to lean on themselves when sports are no longer an option. He provides them space to grieve this change and rebuild themselves as leaders.

Caleb calls on a quote his father instilled in him, Joshua 1:9 “Be strong and courageous for the Lord God is with you everywhere you go” as a reminder he was made to thrive. Caleb stands as a living example to not only athletes, but to all young leaders, about the power of perseverance and purpose.