Daemen Awarded Diversity Grant From NCAA

Funds To Be Applied In Creation Of Administrative Staff Position

AMHERST, N.Y. - Daemen College has been named as a recipient of the NCAA Division II Ethnic Minority and Women's Internship Grant. The one-year grant program awards $23,500 to support the salary for a full-time, entry-level administrative position, as well as $3,000 in professional development funding.

Specifically at Daemen, the funding will aide in the creation of the Student-Athlete Success and Community Engagement Fellowship position. A national search for the position is already underway. The hired candidate will work closely with Brandi Guerinot, Associate Athletics Director for Compliance and Student-Athlete Success, and Carol Bartlo, Athletic Academic Support Counselor, in monitoring the academic standing of Daemen's nearly 200 student-athletes. Additionally, the hired candidate will represent Daemen Athletics on the College's Diversity Initiatives Council, collaborate with fellow athletics staffers to plan and teach a course titled "The First Year Student-Athlete Experience", oversee the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and serve as the primary contact for all of Daemen Athletics' community outreach and engagement activities.

"Daemen Athletics is honored to receive the NCAA Division II Ethnic Minority and Women's Internship Grant," said Bridget Niland, Director of Athletics. "The position we've created with the help of this funding will allow Daemen Athletics to further enhance the student-athlete experience by providing support and programming that underscore the Division II philosophy pillars of academics, community service, diversity and inclusion."

Daemen is one of just 15 recipients of diversity grand funding doled out by NCAA Division II nationwide for the 2016-17 academic year, and one of four inaugural recipients of the Ethnic Minority and Women's Internship Grant, joining Concordia University (Minn.), University of Minnesota-Duluth and Southern New Hampshire University. Additional diversity grant opportunities available to Division II programs include the Coaching Enhancement Grant and the Strategic Alliance Matching Grant. All together, the NCAA has awarded more than $500,000 to the 15 recipients.

"We know that an inclusive environment makes us better as a division," said Terri Steeb Gronau, NCAA Vice President of Division II, in a press release. "One of the division's strategic initiatives focuses on providing resources that help schools and conferences recruit, hire and retain diverse groups and individuals."

"As a core value, the NCAA believes in and is committed to diversity, inclusion and gender equity among its student-athletes, coaches and administrators. These grants not only directly support career opportunities for administrators and coaches, but also enhance the student-athlete experience overall," said Bernard Franklin, NCAA Executive Vice President of Education and Community Engagement and Chief Inclusion Officer.

For continuing news on Daemen Athletics, follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Print Friendly Version