Big East Grants Show Commitment to Diversity In Athletics Administrators Ranks: The need is there. Just a quarter of the women and minority collegiate athletics staff seeking the Big East Professional Development Grant for Women and Ethnic Minorities received funding this year. Now, advocates hope the program, which they say demonstrates a commitment to diversity, can set an example that other Division I conferences will follow.
“Women and minorities are underrepresented in administration in athletics,” says 2006 grant recipient Maisha Palmer, athletic academic advisor/life skills coordinator at Rutgers University. “It’s important for the Big East to continue to sponsor programs like this that give the tools and the resources for minorities and women to advance themselves and get out there and advocate to college presidents and athletic directors to really expand their searches when they’re filling senior positions.”
