CSU Joins NCAA in Celebration of Diversity and Inclusion Week
Weekly Campaign and Theme
- Day 1 (Tuesday, Oct. 22): “This is Who We Are”: exploring student-athletes’ core values and multiple identities.
- Day 2 (Wednesday, Oct. 23): “Broadening Our Horizons”: creating connections across campus and highlighting diverse friendships, mentors, and role models.
- Day 3 (Thursday, Oct. 24): “Better Together”: showcasing the strengths and diversity of your campus or conference community.
- Day 4 (Friday, Oct. 25): “Taking Action”: outlining personal action steps for inclusive excellence.
About the NCAA's Diversity and Inclusion Week in Partnership with the Minority Opportunities and Interests Committee (MOIC) and Student-Athlete Advisory Committees (SAACs):
This campaign is a platform for student-athletes, administrators, coaches and fans across the country to start the discussion, speak out on, and promote diversity and inclusion as key elements of student-athlete success. The goal of this annual campaign is to engage social media to create a dialogue on diversity and inclusion and to communicate the benefit of inclusive environments to the student-athlete experience.
Monday, October 21 - Introduction by Director of Athletics Joe Parker
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Tuesday, October 22 - "This is Who We Are."
We don't do it because of diversity. We do it because it's the right thing to do. We're having critical dialogue.Bridgette Johnson, Director of the Black/Afircan American Cultural Center
Key Moments for Diversity and Inclusion at Colorado State
In 1905, Alfred Johnson becomes the first black athlete at what was then Colorado A&M as a member of the varsity football squad.
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Wednesday, October 23 - "Broadening Our Horizons"
Key Moments for Diversity and Inclusion at Colorado State
In the early days of World War II, Chester Maeda, a Japanese-American, is the starting quarterback for the Colorado A&M Aggies during the 1942 season.
I can go to these different places and talk to other people, hear other perspectives and come together and just talk. I don’t want my identity to be football.Barry Wesley
The Multicultural Undergraduate Research Art and Leadership Symposium (MURALS), intentionally reaches out to students of color in various disciplines and exposes them to a variety of undergraduate research opportunities. Mentoring, presenting scholarly work, networking, and learning about multicultural leadership are four main aspects of the program.
MURALS is an event that allows students to network and present their scholarly work (creative writing, visual and performing arts, S.T.E.M., social sciences, humanities) while graduate students and faculty provide feedback and faculty serve as mentors. Participants take part in academic workshops that will aid in their process of continuing their education beyond their Bachelor’s Degree. Throughout the day students will have the opportunity to showcase their scholarly work and represent themselves, their departments and colleges to faculty, staff, peers, alumni and administration.
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Thursday, October 24 - "Better Together"
Key Moments for Diversity and Inclusion at Colorado State
In 1959, Lillian Greene became the first African American female athlete in intercollegiate athletics at Colorado State. Greene won a 1961 All-American award as the world record holder in the 440 meter indoor competition.
Following graduation from CSU in 1963, Greene earned masters and doctoral degrees from Fordham University. From 1978 to 1988, she served as the first and only woman and American director of the Physical Education and Sports Program for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
We’re a different color, but he’s still my best friend....even though he steals my ice cream.Hunter Williams on teammate, roommate, and friend Ross Reiter
Since the organization's beginning in 2013, CSU Rambition has given female student-athletes a chance to connect with one another. With the business of practices, competitions, treatment and more, there is little time for female student-athletes to come together - until now.
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Friday, October 25 - "Taking Action"
Key Moments for Diversity and Inclusion at Colorado State
In 1963, Gil Sanchez became the first Hispanic All-American at Colorado State when he finished second in the nation at the 1963 NCAA Wrestling tournament. Sanchez was the most successful wrestler of the 1960s and remains as one of the finest wrestlers in CSU history.
After graduation, he became a highly successful coach of wrestling being named to the 1981 USA elite team and coaching the US Olympic Sports Festival three times. As a high school coach, Sanchez trained 25 regional and national champions and in 2010 assisted his son, Jim Sanchez, at Loveland High School.
The Pride Resource Center’s Safe Zone Training is a 3-hour training program with the objectives of reducing homophobia, transphobia and heterosexism at CSU, thereby making CSU a safer environment for all members of our community across sexual orientations, romantic orientations, gender identities, gender expressions and intersections of identities, and creating a network committed to ongoing education and advocacy in order to support LGBTQ communities at CSU. More information on the training is available here.