Cleveland, Ohio – The Mid-American Conference (MAC) announced today the individual award winners for achievements in diversity & inclusion with the MAC Diversity & Inclusion Administrator and Student-Athlete awards.
Taylor Jefferson, Assistant Director for Marketing and Brand Enhancement at Bowling Green State University was named winner of the MAC Diversity & Inclusion Administrator Award, while Ohio football graduate student-athlete Kai Caesar was named winner of the MAC Diversity & Inclusion Student-Athlete Award.
“It is an honor to recognize Bowling Green’s Taylor Jefferson and Ohio’s Kai Caesar for their outstanding leadership and commitment to prioritizing and advancing diversity, equity and inclusion programs at their respective institutions,” said MAC Commissioner Dr. Jon Steinbrecher.
Jefferson recently was awarded the BGSU Administrative Staff Council award for diversity and belonging. This award was developed to honor the work of any administrative staff member who has demonstrated a commitment to advancing a positive culture of diversity, equity, and belonging at BGSU. The main requirements to be nominated for this award were to have developed unique ideas, supported diversity and belonging programming, demonstrated advocacy or allyship, or served as a role model for our campus community.
Jefferson hit all four requirements with his new Diverse Professionals Enhancement Program (DPEP). The program is designed to enhance the ethnic minority and gender representation in the field of intercollegiate athletics. DPEP is a year-long paid internship is open to two current BGSU students who have an interest in pursuing a career in the field of athletics. No prior work experience is necessary to apply for the positions. The internships are designed to develop and educate young students by providing a cross-training experience that would serve as a guide to launching their career. Additionally, individuals will participate in resume building, networking opportunities, and mock interviews to help prepare them for the future.
Caesar is a founding member of Bobcats Lead Change, an organization started by Tia Jameson, Ohio’s Assistant Athletics Director of Student-Athlete Development and Inclusion in collaboration with Director of Athletics Julie Cromer. Caesar volunteered without hesitation to take on the role of Chair of External Communications. He organized a group of student-athletes to create a PSA, which went on social media and was played during home competitions. Caesar worked closely with the Ohio Bobcats media and marketing team in terms of writing out the script and bringing everything together.
“We are extremely proud of Kai’s work and thrilled that he is receiving this recognition from our MAC peers,” said Ohio Director of Athletics Julie Cromer. “He is committed to the pursuit of equity for all underrepresented groups, and he expresses his passion through service, action and a genuine compassion for others. Our student-athletes, coaches and staff have been inspired by his persistent efforts to ensure inclusion of all individuals so that they may fully express themselves and fulfill their greatest potential as members of our Bobcat community. Kai sets a perfect example of servant leadership for all of us.”
In November of 2016, the MAC announced one of the most comprehensive Diversity & Inclusion Programs in Division I intercollegiate athletics to begin during the 2017-18 academic year.
The MAC Diversity & Inclusion Program has positioned the MAC as a leader within collegiate athletics. Through this program, the MAC is working to expand opportunities for minority candidates in coaching and administration with six specific and coordinated program initiatives.
These six initiatives include: establishing a Conference Diversity & Inclusion Statement, the commitment of 25 new annual internships across membership, a collaborative mentoring program, a bi-annual summit, the first of which was hosted by the MAC on Feb. 8, 2018, the creation of a resource webpage and the annual awards platform to recognize one institutional athletic department, administrator and student-athlete.
The MAC Diversity & Inclusion program provides career educational opportunities for a diverse pool of candidates, career entry and advancement opportunities, consistent support and career mentoring programs for all levels of professionals, and opportunities for collaboration on best hiring practices and cultural enhancements.
In the Fall of 2015, MAC Commissioner Jon Steinbrecher instituted a 15-member working group comprised of university administrators, senior athletic administrators and faculty athletic representatives to present to MAC membership recommendations for a comprehensive diversity & inclusion program. Steinbrecher charged the working group with: “Taking a solution-oriented leadership role in accelerating and growing the pool of minority candidates for collegiate job opportunities in coaching and administration.”
