During Day 2 of the 2024 NCAA Inclusion Forum, four panelists took the stage for a moderated discussion about identity and belonging. One by one, they stopped at the podium to tell their stories about navigating different athletics spaces with unique identities. After sharing, they each looked up at the ballroom filled with over 600 coaches, administrators and student-athletes, and said:
"My story matters, my experience matters and yours does, too."
This acknowledgment and support served as the foundation for four days of impactful programming organized and led by the NCAA office of inclusion. Hosted annually, the NCAA Inclusion Forum brings together leaders within higher education and intercollegiate athletics to provide education and enhance efforts on diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging initiatives. Educational programming focuses on each of the office of inclusion's five core areas: disability, LGBTQ identities, race/ethnicity, women and international student matters.
This year's program, held last week in Indianapolis, featured several breakout sessions and panel discussions. Topics included the development of adaptive sports programs, using inclusive language, understanding implicit bias and effectively coaching Generation Z student-athletes. Attendees 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 everything (to attend the Inclusion Forum)," said Kola Bad Bear, a basketball student-athlete at Montana State Billings and 2024 Inclusion Forum panelist. "I feel very honored to have been asked to come and speak at this forum and even just be here and learn from coaches and from administration that work at all different collegiate levels … just to hear their stories is really inspiring."
Student-athletes at the 2024 Inclusion Forum enjoyed the opportunity to connect with other college athletes and athletics staff members
This year's programming was highlighted by the launching of a new initiative, the Student-Athlete Symposium, which was hosted in conjunction with the forum. The symposium provided student-athlete attendees with individualized educational programming to engage, equip and empower them to actively participate and contribute to the DEIB initiatives within their teams, in their athletics departments, on their campuses and in their communities.
"The most valuable part of this experience has been the Student-Athlete Symposium," said Maria Velat, wheelchair track and wheelchair tennis student-athlete who competes in the adaptive sports program at Michigan. "I really appreciate talking with student-athletes who maybe have similar experiences to me, or much different experiences to me, and just learning and seeing how wide of a world there is in sports."
Symposium sessions focused on building relationships and creating environments of belonging on campus. Speakers included Mike Avery, head coach of Fort Wayne FC and former college soccer coach and student-athlete, and Alex Sommer, academic counselor and senior engagement coordinator at Ohio State. Attendees also had an opportunity to network with various industry professionals and learn about navigating a professional career after college athletics. The final symposium session tasked student-athletes with setting goals and creating action plans to help continue the conversation once they return to campus.
The Student-Athlete Symposium, which was launched this year at the NCAA Inclusion Forum, tasked student-athletes with setting goals and creating action plans to help continue the conversation on diversity, education and inclusion once they return to campus.
"Learning how to create goals and how to implement those goals … I think that has been the most valuable part of the symposium for me," said Sloane Kinley, member of the spirit team at Converse. "I plan to go back to my campus and take back everything I've learned here."
"I hope that I can bring change agency back (to campus) and foster a more positive, socially inclusive environment that includes safe spaces, brave spaces and combinations of the two," added Conner Pierce, track and field student-athlete who competes in the adaptive sports program at Michigan.
The forum was also held in conjunction with the second annual ADID Summit, which provided athletics diversity and inclusion designees from across the NCAA membership with diversity, equity and inclusion training, education and networking opportunities. Attendees participated in workshops and discussions focused on LGBTQ inclusion, DEI best practices and inclusive leadership.
Inclusion Forum programming was highlighted by several keynote speakers, including Dawn Staley, who coached South Carolina's women's basketball team to the 2024 NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Championship title, and LZ Granderson, op-ed columnist at the Los Angeles Times and ABC News contributor. Staley spoke to attendees about how to advance equity on campus and in the media, while Granderson spoke about the unifying power of sports. Attendees also heard from Keith Harrison, professor of business, hip-hop and sport at the University of Central Florida, who spoke about the intersection of hip-hop music and athletics.
"My favorite aspect of the Inclusion Forum has been getting to hear from a ton of different, really cool speakers with a ton of different backgrounds," said Mackenzie Russ, women's volleyball student-athlete at Air Force. "Just taking little nuggets from their experiences and being able to apply them to my life, along with being able to meet a ton of really cool people and athletes from all different sports, places and divisions … it's been an incredible experience."
The final session of the forum featured a panel discussion with student-athlete participants who shared their experience attending the inaugural Student-Athlete Symposium. Panelists discussed their key takeaways from the event and shared the action plans they created for once they return to campus, emphasizing that the relationships built throughout the event will allow them to effectively continue important conversations across the NCAA.
"People should attend the Inclusion Forum to make connections," said Tenley Grant, track and field student-athlete at Willamette and 2024 Inclusion Forum panelist. "As student-athletes, we hold so much power together as a unit. Meeting people that are still on their journey just like you are … you're growing together. We're the next generation. … Being close with each other, connected with each other and building these same foundations together is very important."
Attendees at the Inclusion Forum provided notes of encouragement inside books related to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging as part of a community service project. The books will be donated to a local elementary school.
