SE: Unity Match Another Piece of K-State Athletics Diversity and Inclusion Plan
Sep 24, 2018 | Soccer, Sports Extra
By Corbin McGuire
As K-State Athletics entered the second of its five-year, comprehensive Diversity and Inclusion plan this fall, ideas of how to continue to expand its reach and impact were thrown around.
One obvious option surfaced: Soccer, the world's most popular and diverse sport. So, the K-State women's soccer team hosted No. 15 Oklahoma State last Friday for its first Unity match. It marked the second home event dedicated to diversity and inclusion, following last year's men's basketball game against Oklahoma.
"Soccer has a great mix of diversity on their team from all different perspectives, so it just made sense," K-State Director of Student-Athlete Development Arin Dunn said. "One of the things we wanted to do this year with our Diversity and Inclusion plan is expand it a little bit more."
The K-State women's team represented a perfect opportunity to do so. The team has "people from all walks of life," said Jessica Smith, assistant soccer coach and one of seven members of K-State's Diversity and Inclusion Committee.
K-State's roster lists players and staff from four countries outside the United States and eight different states inside it, only scratching the surface of the diversity within the team.
"Just from a player perspective, it's really important for Coach (Mike) Dibbini that we do have a lot of diversity on the team. But from a staff perspective, absolutely, we all are different in our own unique ways and that's exactly what the mission of our diversity and inclusion (committee) is, to embrace everybody's individual unique characteristics," Smith said. "I think by doing it and having that kind of a staff, we're an example to our players of different people coming together for one common goal and finding success."
Dunn said the hope behind Friday's match and in the second year of the Diversity and Inclusion plan, in general, is "continuing to create awareness of what diversity is."
"It's not just a racial thing. It's not just about your gender or sexual orientation. It encompasses a lot of different things, and I think that's often overlooked," Dunn said, as K-State Athletics has 45 international student-athletes from 26 different countries. "I think that K-State, with our international student-athletes but where our students come from in general… we have a lot of student-athletes that come from small farm communities, and that's diversity.
"Hopefully we can change people's perspectives about what diversity is and continue to set an example for how we can continue to embrace diversity but also build a culture that's inclusive. We're bringing students from all across the water and the country to be part of this family. So, we want to make sure they do truly feel like that they're part of this family. Hopefully, we can continue to set the example."
The Unity match reinforced the Diversity and Inclusion plan's mission to create and encourage an environment that embraces diversity while actively promoting the inclusion of all groups throughout the university and Manhattan communities.
It also included campus, a vital piece of the community Dunn said the Diversity and Inclusion Committee made sure to involve. Many campus organizations and groups were among the more than 1,200 fansto attend the match on Friday.
"Campus has made tremendous strides toward diversity and inclusion, so we wanted to give them an opportunity to collaborate with us," Dunn said, referencing Kansas State University adding Chief Diversity Officer Bryan Samuel and Associate Vice President for Student Life of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs Adrian Rodriguez in the last year. "We wanted to give them an opportunity to showcase the things that they were doing as a college to promote diversity and inclusion."
On October 9, K-State Athletics will take part in the campus-led KSUnite movement for the second year in a row. Within K-State Athletics, Dunn said there will be continued workshop and education opportunities for student-athletes and staff. It's part of what he and Smith said they think makes the Diversity and Inclusion plan unique at K-State.
"It's been unbelievable for me to be part of it because it's not just checking off a box that we have to have a diversity committee. It is a strategic plan and part of who we are, and I think that's an incredible testament to what family means to K-State," Smith said. "Family is inclusive and it's unconditional. Led by Arin Dunn, Jill Shields and obviously Gene Taylor, the mission of what we want to accomplish is going create an environment for student-athletes and staff to thrive and be exactly who they are."
As K-State Athletics entered the second of its five-year, comprehensive Diversity and Inclusion plan this fall, ideas of how to continue to expand its reach and impact were thrown around.
One obvious option surfaced: Soccer, the world's most popular and diverse sport. So, the K-State women's soccer team hosted No. 15 Oklahoma State last Friday for its first Unity match. It marked the second home event dedicated to diversity and inclusion, following last year's men's basketball game against Oklahoma.
"Soccer has a great mix of diversity on their team from all different perspectives, so it just made sense," K-State Director of Student-Athlete Development Arin Dunn said. "One of the things we wanted to do this year with our Diversity and Inclusion plan is expand it a little bit more."
The K-State women's team represented a perfect opportunity to do so. The team has "people from all walks of life," said Jessica Smith, assistant soccer coach and one of seven members of K-State's Diversity and Inclusion Committee.
K-State's roster lists players and staff from four countries outside the United States and eight different states inside it, only scratching the surface of the diversity within the team.
"Just from a player perspective, it's really important for Coach (Mike) Dibbini that we do have a lot of diversity on the team. But from a staff perspective, absolutely, we all are different in our own unique ways and that's exactly what the mission of our diversity and inclusion (committee) is, to embrace everybody's individual unique characteristics," Smith said. "I think by doing it and having that kind of a staff, we're an example to our players of different people coming together for one common goal and finding success."
Dunn said the hope behind Friday's match and in the second year of the Diversity and Inclusion plan, in general, is "continuing to create awareness of what diversity is."
"It's not just a racial thing. It's not just about your gender or sexual orientation. It encompasses a lot of different things, and I think that's often overlooked," Dunn said, as K-State Athletics has 45 international student-athletes from 26 different countries. "I think that K-State, with our international student-athletes but where our students come from in general… we have a lot of student-athletes that come from small farm communities, and that's diversity.
"Hopefully we can change people's perspectives about what diversity is and continue to set an example for how we can continue to embrace diversity but also build a culture that's inclusive. We're bringing students from all across the water and the country to be part of this family. So, we want to make sure they do truly feel like that they're part of this family. Hopefully, we can continue to set the example."
The Unity match reinforced the Diversity and Inclusion plan's mission to create and encourage an environment that embraces diversity while actively promoting the inclusion of all groups throughout the university and Manhattan communities.
It also included campus, a vital piece of the community Dunn said the Diversity and Inclusion Committee made sure to involve. Many campus organizations and groups were among the more than 1,200 fansto attend the match on Friday.
"Campus has made tremendous strides toward diversity and inclusion, so we wanted to give them an opportunity to collaborate with us," Dunn said, referencing Kansas State University adding Chief Diversity Officer Bryan Samuel and Associate Vice President for Student Life of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs Adrian Rodriguez in the last year. "We wanted to give them an opportunity to showcase the things that they were doing as a college to promote diversity and inclusion."
On October 9, K-State Athletics will take part in the campus-led KSUnite movement for the second year in a row. Within K-State Athletics, Dunn said there will be continued workshop and education opportunities for student-athletes and staff. It's part of what he and Smith said they think makes the Diversity and Inclusion plan unique at K-State.
"It's been unbelievable for me to be part of it because it's not just checking off a box that we have to have a diversity committee. It is a strategic plan and part of who we are, and I think that's an incredible testament to what family means to K-State," Smith said. "Family is inclusive and it's unconditional. Led by Arin Dunn, Jill Shields and obviously Gene Taylor, the mission of what we want to accomplish is going create an environment for student-athletes and staff to thrive and be exactly who they are."
K-State Soccer | End of Season Recap
Thursday, November 20
K-State Soccer | Reece Walrod Every Minute Played
Tuesday, November 11
K-State Soccer | You Make The Face, I Make The Sound
Tuesday, November 11
K-State Soccer | Postgame Highlights vs Iowa State
Friday, October 31
