During the second day of the 2024 NCAA Inclusion Forum, four speakers took the stage for a moderated discussion on identity and belonging. One by one, they stopped at the podium to share their stories about how they navigated different sports spaces with unique identities. After sharing, they each looked up at the ballroom filled with more than 600 coaches, administrators and student-athletes, and said:
“My story matters, my experience matters and so does yours.”
This recognition and support served as the foundation for four days of impactful programming organized and led by the NCAA Office of Inclusion. Held annually, the NCAA Inclusion Forum brings together leaders from higher education and intercollegiate athletics to provide education and strengthen efforts on diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging initiatives. Educational programming focuses on each of the Office of Inclusion’s five key areas: disability, LGBTQ identities, race/ethnicity, women and international student issues.
This year’s program, held last week in Indianapolis, included several breakout sessions and panel discussions. Topics covered included developing adaptive sports programs, using inclusive language, understanding implicit bias and effectively coaching Gen Z student-athletes. Participants also had the opportunity to participate in a community service project in which they provided notes of encouragement inside books related to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, which will be donated to a local elementary school.
“It means a lot (to attend the Inclusion Forum),” said Kola Bad Bear, a basketball student-athlete at Montana State Billings and a member of the 2024 Inclusion Forum panel. “I feel very honored to be invited to come speak at this forum and even just to be here and learn from the coaches and administration that work at all different levels of academia… just hearing their stories is really inspiring.”
This year’s programming featured the launch of a new initiative, the Student-Athlete Symposium, which was hosted in conjunction with the forum. The symposium provided participating student-athletes with a customized educational program to motivate, equip, and empower them to actively participate in and contribute to DEIB initiatives within their teams, athletic departments, campuses, and communities.
“The student-athlete symposium was the most valuable part of this experience,” said Maria Velat, a track and field and wheelchair tennis student-athlete who participates in the University of Michigan’s adaptive sports program. “I really enjoy talking to student-athletes who may have had similar experiences to me, or very different experiences than me, and just learning and seeing how big the world of sports is.”
The symposium sessions focused on building relationships and creating environments of belonging on campus. Speakers included Mike Avery, Fort Wayne FC head coach and former college football coach and student-athlete, and Alex Sommer, academic advisor and senior engagement coordinator at Ohio State. Attendees also had the opportunity to network with a variety of industry professionals and learn more about pursuing a professional career after college athletics. The final session of the symposium asked student-athletes to set goals and create action plans to help them continue the conversation once they return to campus.
“Learning how to set goals and implement them… I think that’s the most valuable part of the symposium for me,” said Converse team member Sloane Kinley. “I plan to go back to my campus and take everything I’ve learned here.”
“I hope to bring the agency of change back (to campus) and foster a more positive, socially inclusive environment that includes safe spaces, brave spaces and a combination of both,” added Conner Pierce, a track and field student-athlete who participates in Michigan’s adaptive sports program.
The forum was also held in conjunction with the second annual ADID Summit, which provided diversity and inclusion designees from across the NCAA with training, education and networking opportunities on diversity, equity and inclusion. Attendees engaged in workshops and discussions focused on LGBTQ inclusion, DEI best practices and inclusive leadership.
The Inclusion Forum lineup featured several high-profile speakers, including Dawn Staley, who coached the South Carolina women’s basketball team to the 2024 NCAA Division I women’s basketball championship, and LZ Granderson, an opinion columnist for the Los Angeles Times and an ABC News contributor. Staley spoke to attendees about advancing equity on campus and in the media, while Granderson spoke about the unifying power of sports. Attendees also heard from Keith Harrison, a professor of business, hip-hop and sports at the University of Central Florida, who spoke about the intersection of hip-hop music and athletics.
“My favorite part of the Inclusion Forum was getting to hear from so many different, really cool speakers from so many different backgrounds,” said Mackenzie Russ, a women’s volleyball student-athlete at the Air Force. “Just learning from their experiences and being able to apply them to my life, and getting to meet so many really cool people and athletes from all different sports, all different locations, all different divisions… it was an incredible experience.”
The final session of the forum featured a panel discussion with student-athletes who shared their experiences at the inaugural Student-Athlete Symposium. Panelists discussed key takeaways from the event and shared action plans they created for their return to campus, emphasizing that the relationships built throughout the event will allow them to effectively continue important discussions within the NCAA.
“People should attend the Inclusion Forum to connect,” said Tenley Grant, a Willamette track and field student-athlete and 2024 Inclusion Forum panelist. “As student-athletes, we hold so much power together as a unit. Meeting people who are still on the journey like you are… you’re growing together. We’re the next generation. … Being close to each other, connected to each other and building that same foundation together is so important.”
