College Sports Information Directors of America

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Note: This story appeared in the Winter 2019 November edition of CoSIDA 360 Magazine. To view the full magazine, click here.

Perspectives From Outside the Profession

Perspectives on Achieving Inclusive Excellence in Athletics Communications
by Katrice Albert – NCAA Executive Vice President of Inclusion and Human Resources

Growing up in New Roads, Louisiana — a small farming community of about 3,500 people just west of Baton Rouge — I learned lessons of passion, drive, dedication, persistence, excellence, work ethic, accountability and community. This community often focused on the four F’s of family, food, faith and football — and not always in that order. It was the cultural context that formed my identity and how I saw the world. My grandfather, who was one of the first African-Americans to be granted a business license in our town, instilled in me the notion that “anything worth doing is worth doing well.” It is a personal philosophy that has guided me in everything I consider.

As we focus on personal and professional goals in the new year, I encourage you to use your sphere of influence to grow equity, inclusion and diversity in CoSIDA. Your bold leadership in communications is necessary and vital. The mission, values and business imperative of supporting our student-athletes — including telling their rich stories, encouraging them to see strategic communications in collegiate athletics as a career path, and understanding our own biases — require persistence and dedication to inclusive excellence.

In higher education and intercollegiate athletics, women, ethnic minorities, those with disabilities, LGBTQA+ people and other diverse audiences still seek inclusion (that is, culturally responsive policies and practices, access to opportunities and career advancement, and acceptance as experts of their lived experiences). Here are three ways to grow your leadership acumen and further an inclusive mission in athletics.

 

Be a waymaker.

There is an infinite amount of power we all possess in achieving equity and diversity. What intrigues me most is communicators have the ability to see the gaps and a true willingness to try to fill them. I am encouraged and inspired by your profession as “waymakers.” I define waymakers as those who harness their personal power and take responsibility to see the amazing potential in others, while helping them achieve their goals and dreams. The late football star and politician Jack Kemp once said, “The power of one man or one woman doing the right thing for the right reason, and at the right time, is the greatest influence in our society.” Be that positive influence. Speak to middle school and high school students in under-resourced communities about college options that lead to careers in sports information. Invite a student-athlete who may be struggling with career exploration to shadow you on a work day. Mentor someone in whom you see great potential and who could offer a diverse perspective to the field. Invite a colleague to join in a project so that a richer experience occurs for both of you. Open doors for others that were opened for you. Waymaking is not hard. It just requires thought and intentionality.

Operate with energized engagement.

How do we create brave spaces to lean in and have bold and courageous conversation about diversity and inclusion in athletics communications? We must be courageous and engage with individuals who are not our mirror images. Additionally, supporting athletics and university diversity goals helps us think of creative ways to have more synergy, increase partnerships and develop meaningful relationships with the student-athlete population, which is diverse in so many ways. As communications professionals, take the lead in working with others in athletics to invite a facilitator to spend at least one staff meeting to help everyone better understand your athletics climate (for example, any festering conflicts that could turn to bigger issues, a lack of diverse voices being heard at the table, issues around sexual harassment, or a look at demographics). Also, encourage at least one staff brainstorming session where an action plan is created to address these concerns. Be intentional with inclusive interviewing when you have volunteer or full-time positions within your communications office. Communications professionals often take the lead in addressing or helping to resolve issues. Small intentional acts can get people to a place where everyone thrives. As we all know, greater diversity with staff and athletics teams creates better outcomes in many ways.

Increase your intellectual curiosity.

Understanding our biases and differences requires an intellectual curiosity of self. Active listening steeped around empathy of narratives and lived experiences of colleagues and student-athletes builds intercultural competence by giving us a greater awareness and knowledge of different perspectives. It also pushes us to determine ways to join each other on common ground. Listen to podcasts on topics that will increase your knowledge and understanding (for example, increasing diversity in media, or hidden figures in sports). Attend an employee resource or affinity group meeting (for example, an employee resource group for women or veterans) where you gain wisdom on campus issues and perspectives. Visit a culturally relevant community space in your city or an event that intrigues you.

I am encouraged that CoSIDA is dedicating this issue to inclusive excellence. We need increased pathways to equity in leadership to strengthen our business models and to support the student-athlete experience. As such, please join us April 26-28 in Atlanta for the eighth annual NCAA Inclusion Forum. Consider attending the premier conference on inclusion in intercollegiate athletics to enhance your personal and professional growth and development. CoSIDA is a standard bearer of excellence and leadership in intercollegiate athletics. Let’s be reminded that inclusive excellence requires a personal investment of reflection, active listening and action. Therefore, I stand ready to support each of you as you increase your intellectual curiosity, operate with energized engagement and become a communications waymaker. For “anything worth doing is worth doing well.”


Katrice A. Albert leads efforts to enhance diversity, inclusion, leadership development, and education and community engagement for the NCAA. Before joining the NCAA, she served in executive capacities with the University of Minnesota System from 2013 to 2017, and at Louisiana State University from 2005 to 2013. She led diversity, inclusion and equity strategies in both positions. Albert frequently writes, speaks and consults on issues of intercultural competence, educational and workforce diversity, gender and dynamics of power, the complexities of diverse populations, educational access, community-university partnerships, corporate social responsibility, and the application of psychological knowledge to ethnic minorities and other underserved populations. She earned a doctoral degree in counseling psychology at Auburn University and completed her clinical internship at the Center for Multicultural Training in Psychology at Boston Medical Center. She holds a master’s degree in counseling psychology from The University of Southern Mississippi and graduated magna cum laude from Xavier University of Louisiana with a bachelor’s degree in psychology.

For more resources and information about initiatives from the NCAA Office of Inclusion, visit: NCAA.org/about/resources/inclusion.