Daemen College has been named a recipient of the NCAA Division II Ethnic Minority and Women’s Internship Grant, a one-year grant program that provides $23,500 to support the salary for a full-time, entry-level administrative position, as well as $3,000 in professional development funding.
Daemen is one of only 15 recipients of diversity grant funding presented by NCAA Division II for the 2016-17 academic year, and one of four inaugural recipients of the Ethnic Minority and Women’s Internship Grant.
Specifically at Daemen, the funding will aid in the creation of student-athlete success and community engagement fellowship position. A national search for the position is underway.
The student-athlete success and community engagement fellow 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 new position will represent Daemen Athletics on the college’s Council on Diversity and Inclusion, collaborate with fellow athletics staffers to plan and teach a course, entitled “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 us to further enhance the student-athlete experience by providing support and programming that underscores the Division II philosophy pillars of academics, community service, diversity, and inclusion.”
In a news release about the grant, Terri Steeb Gronau, NCAA vice president of Division II, said, “We know that an inclusive environment makes us better as a division. One of the division’s strategic initiatives focuses on providing resources that help schools and conferences recruit, hire and retain diverse groups and individuals.”
Bernard Franklin, NCAA executive vice president of education and community engagement and chief inclusion officer, added that “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.”