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Below please find a list of news and updates, including past and upcoming presentations, conference attendances, publications, awards, We Are One Team (WA1T) programming, and other accomplishments: 

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+++ August 1, 2021: New Position: Center for Sport Leadership, Virginia Commonwealth University  +++

After two wonderful years at Rowan University, I am excited to share that I have started a new position as assistant professor for sport leadership and director of outreach and inclusive excellence in the internationally-ranked Center for Sport Leadership (CSL) at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA. This position will allow me to teach in the CSL's master's program in sport leadership and drive inclusive excellence in the sports industry. I look forward to this new chapter!

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+++ December 10, 2020: Team USA Council on Racial & Social Justice Releases Recommendations on IOC Rule 50 +++

On internationally-recognized Human Rights Day, my work with the Team USA Council on Racial & Social Justice has reached an important milestone: Our steering committee released its recommendations on IOC Rule 50/IPC Section 2.2 – two rules that prohibit Olympic and Paralympic athletes from protesting during the Games. Over the past three months, I have worked with the Council on drafting recommendations to the IOC, USOPC, and national governing bodies (NGBs) regarding this outdated rules (check out the recommendations here). Great news: The recommendations I helped develop for this Council have led the USOPC to no longer sanction athletes who choose to protest for racial and social justice during the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Historic win! Check out the full press release here.

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+++ August 28, 2020: New Appointment: USOPC Team USA Council on Racial & Social Justice  +++

History in the making! I am thrilled to share that I was appointed to the inaugural Team USA Council on Racial & Social Justice by the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC), where I will be advising the Council's steering committee on athlete protests, demonstrations, and activism. This will be an honor of a lifetime & I can’t wait to get started! Check out the USOPC press release here.

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+++ May 1, 2020: New Appointment: Return on Inclusion Advisory Board  +++

I am happy to share that I have been invited to join the advisory board for Return on Inclusion, a sport-specific diversity and inclusion education platform dedicated to developing inclusive leaders and fostering a culture of belonging across social and cultural differences. The ROI Advisory Board is comprised of intercollegiate athletics leaders for diversity and inclusion, and I am fortunate to be joining a great group passionate about driving change in sport and beyond!

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+++ January 23, 2020: New Engagement: 2020 NCAA Annual Convention: Session on "Engaging Your Campus Community on Athlete Activism"  +++

I had the honor of facilitating a panel discussion focused on student-athlete voice, expression, and activism at this year's NCAA annual convention in Anaheim, CA. For the session, I was joined by Anthony Grant (Director of Athletics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology), Ashton Henderson (Assistant AD for Student-Athlete Development & Leadership), Amy Huchthausen (Commissioner, America East Conference), and Tayler Stover (Student-Athlete, Rogers State University) as we discussed the following key questions: What can administrators, coaches, faculty and other members of the athletics community do to engage their campus community on issues related to student-athlete voice, expression and activism? How can they strategically and purposefully manage activism on campus? What are some of the barriers student-athletes face in pursuing activism?

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+++ September 1, 2019: New Position: Rowan University  +++

After a great year with the NCAA Office of Inclusion, I am happy to share that I have started a tenure-track position as assistant professor for sports communication and media with a focus on diversity, inclusion, and social justice in sport at Rowan University in New Jersey, USA. I will also be serving as the lead faculty consultant for social impact in the university's Center for Sports Communication & Social Impact, which will allow me to bridge my research and diversity/inclusion consulting within the sports industry. Great things to come!

 

+++ October 12, 2018: Award: "Top 10 Under 10" Recognition  +++

My first homecoming as an alumnus of Bowling Green State University (BGSU) was extra special, as I was named a 2018 "Top 10 Under 10" honoree.  BGSU Alumni named a Top 10 Under 10 honoree are recent alums (within 10 years) who are change-makers transforming the lives of others. As part of the recognition, I was able to attend a networking lunch with current BGSU students and serve on a panel with fellow honorees. I look forward to engaging with my alma mater in the future!

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+++ October 3, 2018: We Are One Team (WA1T) reveals first in series of WA1T Inclusion Videos +++

We Are One Team (WA1T) released the initiative's first WA1T Inclusion Video on Twitter today. While I developed the concept for the video along with other student leaders of WA1T, the video was fully produced by BGSU media production students. The WA1T Inclusion Videos feature a variety of BGSU student-athletes and will be played at each BGSU home event hosted at a facility that has its own video board. What a great way to send a continuous message of inclusion and acceptance through sport!

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+++ October 1-5, 2018: MOIC & SAAC Diversity and Inclusion Social Media Campaign  +++

In partnership with the NCAA Minority Opportunities and Interests Committee (MOIC) and the national Student-Athlete Advisory Committees (SAAC), the NCAA Office of Inclusion held its inaugural Diversity and Inclusion Social Media Campaign. As the project lead for the campaign, I am happy to share that the campaign featured more than 25,000 posts on social media and reached over 25 million people on Twitter alone. Our campaign hashtag (#NCAAInclusion) was trending at #8 in the country during the first day of the campaign. What a great way to engage student-athletes and intercollegiate athletics administrators on topics related to diversity and inclusion!

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+++ July 31, 2018: Rowan University launches Center for Sports Communication & Social Impact +++

I am happy to share that Rowan University -- my future academic home -- launched the newly created Center for Sports Communication and Social Impact this fall semester. The Center will examine the role that sports communication and media play in relating the sports world to broader societal issues, promote positive cultural change and expand and enrich student experiences through internships, mentoring and guest speaking programs. It will be led by former men's basketball coach Dr. John Giannini. The launch of the center was announced in July, and the official launch event is set for October and will feature distinguished former coach and activist George Raveling. I look forward to getting involved with the center!

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+++ June 18, 2018: New Position: NCAA Office of Inclusion  +++

For the 2018-19 academic year, I will be serving as a postgraduate intern in the Office of Inclusion at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the NCAA's national headquarters in Indianapolis, IN. My work in this capacity allows me to get a first-hand look at the strategic diversity and inclusion initiatives at one of the biggest sports organizations in the United States. My year with the NCAA will set me up nicely for the next step in my professional career, as I have accepted a position as a tenure-track Assistant Professor of Sports Communication and Media at Rowan University in Glassboro, New Jersey, upon completion of my postgraduate internship. I look forward to a great year!

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+++ April 4-7, 2018: Award: CSCA Cooper Award  +++

I am happy to share that I was selected as the recipient of this year's prestigious Cooper Award awarded by the Central States Communication Association in recognition of excellent teaching by a graduate student. For an overview of my teaching accomplishments, please check out my teaching page. 

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+++ February 8, 2018: Presentation at the inaugural MAC Diversity & Inclusion Summit (Cleveland, OH) +++

I am honored to have been selected as one of the speakers at the inaugural MAC Diversity & Inclusion Summit hosted by the Mid-American Conference (MAC). A first-of-its-kind summit at the NCAA conference level, the summit brought together leaders from all twelve MAC campuses to share best practices and learning opportunities to develop and sustain a diverse and inclusive culture on their campuses and in their communities. For my presentation, I teamed up with BGSU's Senior Associate Athletics Director/Senior Woman Administrator Lauren Ashman to give an overview of the inclusion efforts of the BGSU athletics department, most notably manifested in our work with We Are One Team (WA1T). For a recap of the summit, please see the video in the "Appearances in the Media" section below.

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+++ January 18, 2018: Presentation at the NCAA National Convention (Indianapolis, IN) +++

I am excited to be one of the speakers at this year's NCAA National Convention! My presentation will be part of a "Discussions on Diversity" session and will focus on my work with We Are One Team (WA1T) at BGSU. I look forward to connecting with other leaders for diversity and inclusion at the convention!

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+++ November 16-19, 2017: National Communication Association (NCA) Annual Conference (Dallas, TX) +++

I look forward to presenting three research papers and three teaching activities at the 103rd annual convention of the National Communication Association in Dallas, Texas! I will also be attending the job fair and will be part of an "Ask an activist" panel held on Saturday, November 18, at 3:00 p.m. in the Sheraton, Dallas Ballroom Foyer, First Floor (Conference Center). For a detailed schedule of my conference presentations and appearances, please click here. If you would like to meet up with me during the conference, please feel free to email me at ykluch@bgsu.edu or to contact me via this page.

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+++ November 1-4, 2017: North American Society for the Sociology of Sport (NASSS) Annual Conference (Windsor, CAN) +++

I am excited to present some of my dissertation research at the annual convention of the North American Society for the Sociology of Sport in Windsor, Canada! I will present my paper titled "How Can We Better Help Student-Athletes Find their Voice as Activists? Identifying Barriers to Student-Athlete Activism in Intercollegiate Athletics" on Friday, November 3, at 11:00 a.m. in room Augustus III of the conference hotel. If you would like to meet up with me during the conference, please feel free to email me at ykluch@bgsu.edu or to contact me via this page.

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+++ June 15, 2017: Presentation at the Lone Star Conference Women's Workshop (Dallas, TX)  +++

I had a fantastic time presenting at the Lone Star Conference Women's Workshop, a conference that was attended by the league's Senior Woman Administrators and female coaches and administrators. My presentation was titled "Re-Imagining Athletics on College Campuses: Strategies to Promote Diversity and Inclusion using the Example of We Are One Team (WA1T)."

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+++ June 12, 2017: Presentation at the Minority Athletic Opportunities Association (Orlando, FL) +++

Along with Dr. Tom Gibson, Vice President for Student Affairs and Vice Provost at BGSU, I presented at the annual convention of the Minority Athletic Opportunities Association (MOAA). The presentation was part of a session honoring Bowling Green State University as the recipient of the 2017 NCAA Award for Diversity and Inclusion and highlighted the work of We Are One Team (WA1T) at BGSU.  

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+++ April 27, 2017: Award: Gregory T. DeCrane Applauding Excellence Awards  +++

I am honored to have been selected as the recipient of the Outstanding Community Service Award given by the Office of Campus Activities at BGSU. The organized student component behind the We Are One Team (WA1T) initiative, the Sport, Social Justice, and Communication Coalition, was also honored with the Outstanding Student Organization of the Year Award. For more information on these awards, please check out my awards page.

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+++ April 21-23, 2017: Presentation at the NCAA Inclusion Forum (Providence, RI) +++

I was fortunate to be invited as a speaker for the 2017 Inclusion Forum held in Providence, Rhode Island. I presented on We Are One Team (WA1T) at BGSU in a session titled "Best Practices to Ensure Inclusive Campus Cultures." Our session was moderated by Jennifer Fraser (NCAA Director of Division I Governance) and featured Earl Edwards (Director of Athletics, University of California-San Diego), Amy Huchthausen (Commissioner, America East Conference), and Sean Huddleston (Chief Officer of Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Engagement, Framingham State University).  

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+++ April 14, 2017: Award: SMC Excellence in Graduate Teaching Award  +++

Today I was selected as the recipient of this year's Excellence in Graduate Student Teaching Award awarded by the School of Media and Communication at BGSU. For an overview of my teaching accomplishments, please check out my teaching page.  

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+++ April 11, 2017: Award: Graduate Student Senate Awards  +++

I am happy to announce that I was chosen as the recipient of the Winifred O. Stone Graduate Student Development Fund! In addition, We Are One Team (WA1T) received the GSS Award for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. For more information on these awards, please check out my awards page.

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+++ March 16-18, 2017: Central States Communication Association Annual Conference (Minneapolis, MN) +++

I presented my paper titled "Recreational bodybuilding as cultural transformation: Creating cross-cultural masculinities in U.S. college gym culture" at the 2017 conference of the Central States Communication Association in Minneapolis, Minnesota. A co-authored paper titled "Feminist Jedi and a politically correct Empire: Popular culture and transformative bridges in alternative media content" was also presented by lead author Dr. Joshua Atkinson as part of the Top Paper Panel of the Popular Culture Interest Group.

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+++ March 15, 2017: We Are One Team (WA1T) Welcomes Robbie Rogers to BGSU  +++

As this semester's speaker for the WA1T: Our Voices educational series, We Are One Team (WA1T) welcomed soccer star Robbie Rogers to BGSU. Rogers made history by becoming the first openly gay male athlete to compete in one of the five major North American sports leagues. During his visit, Rogers met with faculty, students, student-athletes, and administrators before giving a presentation titled "We Are One Team (WA1T) Presents: Robbie Rogers - Coming Out to Play."

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+++ January 31, 2017: Dissertation Proposal Defense  +++

I am happy to share that I successfully defended my proposal for my dissertation titled "A Qualitative Examination of Activist Identities among NCAA Division I Student Athletes in the United States." Thank you to my committee for a great defense!

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+++ January 20, 2017: Award: NCAA Award for Diversity & Inclusion Ceremony (Nashville, TN)  +++

Along with Dr. Mary Ellen Mazey (BGSU President) and Bob Moosbrugger (BGSU Director of Athletics), I traveled to Nashville, Tennessee, to receive the 2017 NCAA Award for Diversity and Inclusion for thw work of We Are One Team (WA1T) at the 2017 NCAA Convention. This national award recognizes and celebrates initiatives, policies, and practices of schools and offices that embrace diversity and inclusion across the intercollegiate athletics community. For more information on this award, please check out my awards page. 

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+++ January 13, 2017: Award: MLK Jr. Drum Major for Peace Award (Bowling Green, OH)  +++

The year is off to a great start! Today I was honored with the MLK Jr. Drum Major for Peace Award. The recipient for this award is chosen by the Bowling Green City Human Relations Commission, and the award honors an individual of the Bowling Green community in recognition of their commitment and dedication to the community and in appreciation for their concern for the welfare of others by building strong relationships among the citizens of Bowling Green. For more information on this award, please check out my awards page. 

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