HARTFORD, Conn. – The NESCAC Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Committee recently hosted the 2024 NESCAC Inclusion Summit, which brought together athletic administrators, Athletic Diversity & Inclusion Designees (ADIDs), coaches, student-athletes, and campus Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion staff from each member institution. The event was held at the Sheraton Hartford South in Rocky Hill, Conn.

The Summit aimed to enhance intra- and inter-campus engagement, communication, and collaboration, learn content and develop best practices across a broad continuum of experience and immersion, and promote understanding of different perspectives.

Dr. Niya Blair Hackworth, the NCAA Director of Inclusion, and Donovan Wilson, an NCAA Postgraduate Intern, kicked off the event by sharing the seven traits of inclusive leadership and conveyed practices to improve skills as an inclusive leader. 

Dr. Jeffrey Bailey, DNP/FNP-BC, from Hamilton College provided the event's keynote on Day 2 when he spoke to attendees about the importance of healthcare professionals providing patient-centered care on campuses and among the general population. He also discussed an inclusive approach for all athletes interested in participating in sports.

Reverend Jacquelina Marquez, Wellesley College Dean of Religious and Spiritual Life, and Maria Genao-Homs, Hamilton College Associate Dean of Students for Diversity and Inclusion, guided the group through a mindfulness activity to reflect on what anchors them, their growth opportunities, and how they enhance their teams, departments, and campuses.  

Attendees participated in roundtable discussions to share best practices and information about existing campus education and initiatives related to financial accessibility, mental health, and promoting cultures of inclusion within athletic departments and teams. Additional topics included facilitating DEI discussions, support and development structures, and recruiting, onboarding, and retention of student-athletes, coaches, and staff.

A sequence of panels involving head coaches, student-athletes, and institutional DEI staff were also conducted throughout the summit. Trinity Men's Soccer Head Coach Methembe Ndlovu, Conn. College Women's Basketball Head Coach Jackie Smith, and Middlebury Women's Soccer Head Coach Peter Kim shared their personal experiences as underrepresented coaches and how they create communities of belonging on their teams. A student-athlete panel comprised of Maya Carnes (Trinity women's basketball), Rosie Leonard (Wesleyan women's golf), Adaobi Nebuwa (Colby women's basketball), and Will Onubogu (Bowdoin men's basketball) imparted their campus and athletics experiences, along with ways coaches and staff can provide direction and assist student-athletes.

Genao-Homs joined Deidre Pierson, Hamilton College Associate Athletic Director, Senior Woman Administrator and ADID, and Jennifer Chuks-Crabill, Amherst College Associate Athletic Director for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Co-ADID, to share how their athletics departments and campus DEI offices work together to create programming and execute initiatives.

Institutional diversity, equity, and inclusion professionals Katy Stern (Bowdoin), Dr. Sean Bennett (Hamilton), and Dr. Anita Davis (Trinity) continued the discussion about the importance of campus collaboration with other campus partners to continue building inclusive institutional environments.

After two days of learning about campus best practices and reflecting on institutional needs, the Inclusion Summit culminated in each institution's participants establishing action plans to take back to their respective institutions.