INDIANAPOLIS – The third annual NCAA Diversity & Inclusion Week continued on Wednesday as member institutions from across the country from all divisions participated in different ways to celebrate on social media.
The three-day campaign is driven by a partnership with the Minority Opportunities and Interests Committee (MOIC) and Student-Athlete Advisory Committees (SAACs).
In part through SAAC content and other materials from Athletics Diversity & Inclusion Designees (ADIDs) from Great Midwest Athletic Conference membership, the league is excited to share daily recaps for each theme in 2020.
Several Great Midwest institutions remained active for Day 2, “I’ve Got Your Back.” The second thematic element showcases student-athletes supporting each other to foster inclusive environments. Kentucky Wesleyan, Trevecca Nazarene and Lake Erie, each published a different mashup video of their student-athletes.
Day 3 (Thursday) is “Together We Rise” which outlines personal action steps to inclusive excellence and supporting collaboration across the campus community.
Tuesday’s opening theme was “My Story Matters”, an exploration into unique student-athlete identities, perspectives and experiences.
Incoming member institution Ashland also continued to provide highlights of its new AU IDEAL group, student-athletes advocating for inclusion, diversity, equity, access and leadership.
The following personal excerpts were shared through ADID’s from Lake Erie and the Great Midwest, from Day 2.
“One great example of this would be from the Walk for Social Justice last month. At the end of September, our local Black Lives Matter chapter hosted a Vigil for Breonna Taylor. Our Lake Erie College students decided to come together, and through the leadership of the Black Student Union, our students planned a Walk for Social Justice that started at LEC and ended downtown at the vigil. It was amazing to see so many student-athletes from different teams coming together to support each other.”
- Annalise Kelleher, Lake Erie ADID, Coordinator of Academic and Co-Curricular Engagement
“Teamwork is a fundamental building block in all aspects of sport and if there are cracks in the foundation, they will eventually show. A divide forms and chemistry can be disrupted, sometimes beyond repair, if there isn’t support for one another. The symbolism behind this phrase (I’ve Got Your Back) that when taken literally at face value leaves so much room for interpretation and thought, is compelling. Our student-athletes prop each other up by showing unconditional support through many types of situations. Even in its simplest form, the principle is most definitely applicable in the conference office with a smaller staff. Our administrators are also an integral part of the team as they keep the best interests of their student-athletes in mind. Those situations may not always be visible to the public; you just don’t know what’s going on behind the scenes stemming from practice, residential life, in the locker room, etc. Our member institutions and student-athletes do understand the importance of having each other’s backs to set the stage for different kinds of success.”
- Ben Schlesselman, Great Midwest Associate Commissioner