R. Scott Russell, assistant professor of Sports Management at Mount Saint Mary College, will present the next talk in the Investigating Research on Campus (iROC) series with "Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Sport" on Monday, October 25 at noon.
The talk will take place virtually via Zoom. It is free and open to the public, but you must register to attend. Register at www.msmc.edu/iROC10_25
Mount students, faculty, and staff can attend the event in person in DC 218.
Diversity, equity, and inclusion are very important topics on college campuses and communities all over the United States, and sports are a vital part of the conversation.
"By its nature, sport should be inherently diverse, equitable, and inclusive," said Russell. "Unfortunately, that hasn't always been the case, and still isn't."
In this presentation, Russell will examine the history of sport and review examples of both diversity and exclusion. Russell will also look at where we are today in sport and speculate on the future.
Russell's primary area of research is gender and sport, so expanding on that topic to include people who identify in a variety of ways was a natural fit, he explained. During his research, "I discovered that...diversity didn't guarantee equity or inclusion; being equitable didn't always address diversity or help people feel included; and that inclusion might be the most difficult of these three to accomplish. The ideal of diversity, equity, and inclusion is only reached when every member of a group has the same sense of belonging, even when there are many differences between the individuals who comprise that group."
Mount Saint Mary College's School of Business began offering a new Sports Management major this fall. The major, also available as a concentration, will prepare students for a wide variety of professional opportunities in the sports industry. The major provides a unique focus on both business and the sports industry, while stressing the importance of ethical awareness for future leaders within the sports management field.
The goal of the college's iROC is to provide a forum for Mount faculty, staff, and students to showcase their research endeavors with the college and local communities. Presentations include research proposals, initial data collection, and completed research projects.
Mount Saint Mary College, ranked a Top-Tier University by U.S. News & World Report, offers bachelor's and master's degree programs for careers in healthcare, business, education, social services, communications, media, and the liberal arts.