NEW YORK -- As part of the continuing efforts of the BIG EAST Conference Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Working Group, the Conference has created the BIG EAST Talent Bank to identify qualified, minority candidates interested in pursuing careers in college athletics.
The working group, which includes representation from all eleven BIG EAST member institutions, was formed in 2019 to develop a strategic roadmap to further the athletics-related DEI efforts underway on member campuses.
The BIG EAST Talent Bank is designed to diversify and expand the employee candidate pipeline for the athletics departments of BIG EAST schools and the Conference office. Prospective job candidates will be able submit resumes for consideration for future employment vacancies in the areas of athletic training, communications/sports information, development/advancement and marketing.
“At the outset, our DEI Working Group prioritized hiring strategies and the goal of bringing more women and people of color to our athletics department ranks,” said BIG EAST Commissioner Val Ackerman. “We hope the Talent Bank will help us better correlate the make-up of our student-athlete populations with our leadership tier and provide an additional resource to our schools when senior and mid-level positions become available.”
According to 2020 NCAA research, only 12 percent of senior associate athletics directors and 15% of assistant athletics directors at the NCAA Division I level are ethnic minorities. The Conference hopes that the BIG EAST Talent Bank will provide more opportunities to minority candidates and increase representation for student-athletes who often see leaders who look like them vastly underrepresented.
In a related move, the Conference also named Nancy S. Kaplan, Ed.D, Associate Provost for Academic Support Services and External Academic Partnerships at St. John’s University, as the new Chairperson for the BIG EAST Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Working Group. Dr. Kaplan has worked at St. John’s for over thirty years and has served as an advocate for social justice and a facilitator for a number of anti-bias organizations, including the Anti-Defamation League, RISE, and the Institute for Sport and Social Justice.
“Nancy has been at the forefront of issues around gender equity and racial and social justice for many years and has been a vital contributor to our conference-wide efforts to make an impact in these critical areas,” said Ackerman. “We are very pleased that she has accepted our invitation to chair our DEI Working Group and know her perspectives will be invaluable as we build out our DEI plan and further support our schools.”
For more information on the BIG EAST Talent Bank or to submit a resume, please visit
www.bigeast.com/talent or email HR@bigeast.com.
“I am honored to have been asked to serve in this important role, said Kaplan. “The BIG EAST Conference and our working group members have been laser focused on many critical issues related to diversity, equity and inclusion. I look forward to working with my colleagues as we continue this important work together.”
About the BIG EAST
The BIG EAST Conference is an association of 11 nationally prominent colleges and universities that foster healthy athletic competition, community service and the pursuit of excellence in academic environments. The athletic programs of BIG EAST institutions provide national-caliber participation opportunities for more than 4,100 student-athletes on over 180 men’s and women’s teams in 22 sports. Established in 1979 and headquartered in New York City, the BIG EAST’s members are located in seven of the country’s top 36 largest media markets and include Butler University, University of Connecticut, Creighton University, DePaul University, Georgetown University, Marquette University, Providence College, St. John’s University, Seton Hall University, Villanova University and Xavier University.
The BIG EAST Conference and member schools champion excellence by embracing respect and diversity while striving for a culture of inclusion and equity.
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