DAYTON – Three student-athletes and three administrators represented the University of Dayton at the 2019 NCAA Inclusion Forum April 26-28 in Atlanta at the Omni at CNN Center. 

The UD students who attended were junior Emily Jones (women's soccer), redshirt sophomore Jordy Tshimanga (men's basketball), and redshirt junior Brittany Ward (women's basketball). 

The staff included Arnika Edwards (women's basketball director of operations), Tiffany Taylor Smith (executive director for inclusive excellence education and professional development), and Krystal Warren (assistant director of athletics). 

They joined more than 530 higher education and intercollegiate athletics leaders and student-athletes participating in the eighth annual forum which had a theme of "Dreaming Out Loud: Transforming Passion to Action".

Each participant took the time to do a Q&A on how the 2019 NCAA Inclusion Forum impacted them.

How did you grow/develop in understanding inclusion by attending the 2019 NCAA Inclusion Forum? 
Emily Jones: I think it's really easy to be aware and knowledgeable about the things that affect us personally, but this forum was a great reminder that people may not be experiencing the same support as you simply based on a way they identify or are perceived. It also made me incredibly proud to be a student-athlete at a university that is very up front about their prioritization of inclusivity and empowered me to be part of our campus initiatives.

Brittany Ward: I grew as person and learned that inclusion is not just about race. It can be about gender inequality, sexuality, religious beliefs, and many other things as well. I think it made me understand that I need to be aware of all things going on in society and not just what would affect me.

Jordy Tshimanga: Before going, I wasn't really aware of the struggles for people of the LGBTQ community. Learning and getting to talk to them opened my eyes and made me realize that no matter the differences and preferences we have, one thing we all have in common is that we're all humans and therefore should all be treated the same without prejudice. 

Arnika Edwards: Attending the Forum broadened my scope of the difference between diversity and inclusion and how the differences when intertwined together can bring a wealth of growth to an education system and work environment.

Krystal Warren: Each time I attend the NCAA Inclusion Forum I grow in knowledge and understanding around inclusion and diversity and I feel empowered to impact change, but also realize that there is still much work to be done. There is so much to be gained from aspirational, familial, social, and navigational capital, which can only be ascertained from embracing diverse groups and not just including them, but infusing their cultures with ours; not just accepting into the culture already established.  

Tiffany Taylor Smith: I grew a deeper understanding of the experience of college athletes with LBGTQ+ identities. 
 

What was your favorite aspect of the 2019 NCAA Inclusion Forum?
BW: My favorite aspect was meeting different people and hearing their stories. I also liked meeting and talking with some of the other student-athletes about some of the things we had learned over the course of the weekend and how we could make a difference in our schools.

JT: Favorite aspect, I would say, was to meet so many people and that all those people were also nice and genuine. Also, creating new connections and friendships.

EJ: I really enjoyed meeting other student-athletes with very similar mindsets but different backgrounds. It was amazing to hear what other people are doing at their universities and within their athletics departments.

TTS: Meeting colleagues from other universities and learning of their inclusion work. It was also great to gather with other A-10 schools to meet and break bread together.

KW: I've been privileged enough to attend multiple NCAA Inclusion Forums, and this was by far the best. And I truly believe it's because of the presence of our student-athletes, and being able to hear their perspective. Sharing this experience with them created a deeper meaning of attending this forum.

What was your favorite session and why?
TTS: The session on diversity and inclusion strategic planning. It's helpful to think about where UD is and what we need to plan as we implement our diversity and inclusion strategic plan across our University. It was also helpful to hear best practices and recommendations for UD to communicate, implement, measure, and adjust our plans for optimal success. 

BW: My favorite session was "The Skin We're In." It talked about what it means to be in the skin you're in and how it has affected you negatively and positively. It also made people of other races aware of some of the things that we may not go through in our skin, but others do. It helped you to respect other people's cultural differences. 

JT: The mental health session because I know that so many of us athletes, especially males, struggle with it but won't seek help. 

AE: "The Skin We're In: Intentional Conversations about Race, Ethnicity, Identity and Allyship in Athletics" - The discussions in this session were open and very real. The interactive activities allowed the attendees the freedom to lend our voice in a safe environment.

EJ: My favorite session was "Building a Culture of Healthy Masculinity." As a power-based personal violence peer educator, we often consider how to invite men into our conversations and foster a space where they can be authentic and know that their voices are heard. The men on that panel were full of great ideas about what it means to them to "be a man" which can be very convoluted, especially in athletics. One of them defined it as forming healthy relationship skills and active listening, holding other men accountable for being good people, and having a full range of emotions. 
 

What is something really powerful you learned at the Forum?
JT: The term INCLUSION. It's not about making people a part of something that we do but instead it's accepting people the way they are and learn how to work with their difference respectfully. 

EJ: It can be really useful to argue the other side of opinions to ensure an inclusive perspective and helps us to step outside our very comfortable bubble by acknowledging our personal privileges. All of this will help us create stronger and more valuable relationships which is what inclusion is all about.

BW: Students' voices matter and a lot of people want to know what we think and what our take is on things. I think it made a lot of us realize that we have to step up and be willing to speak up to what is right. 

TTS: The power student-athletes have to influence culture, while balancing earning an education and being an athlete. 

Closing thoughts:
BW: I feel like schools should send students to the NCAA Inclusion and Diversity Forum. It's a great experience and a good way to connect and network with people and other student athletes. It can definitely help you make a difference on your campus. The more students we start bringing to this, the more awareness we can bring to our campuses. 

JT: It was really nice to talk with other people whom I shared similar stories with but the most breathtaking was to talk with those whose stories were totally different than mine. It made me realize that we all have our own issues and before judging people, try to understand them first and what they've gone through because you aren't the only one who goes through tough times. 

KW: We all have a story. Everyone's story deserves to be heard. I feel incredibly blessed that I've been able to learn about people from many different cultures. I know that there are an abundance of more stories to be told and to be heard. What a beautiful world it would be if we would be able to hear and understand them all.

AE: We are all unique. This forum gives us the tools and the motivation to learn more about each and every person we encounter understanding that our uniqueness is what makes us who we are and how we relate to others. Respecting differences is what makes us stronger and brings us together. This is vital to the mission of the education system in that education should be color-blind, gender-blind, socioeconomic status-blind, and bias free.  

EJ: I can't wait to hear what the next cohort of UD attendees learns from the forum!!

The 2020 NCAA Inclusion Forum is April 17-19 in Denver, Colo.