HADLEY, Mass. – The New England Small College Athletic Conference has announced a partnership with
Return On Inclusion, which delivers online sport-specific diversity and inclusion education to coaches, administrators, and staff in college athletic departments.
"Partnering with Return on Inclusion and offering the ROI training modules to our Athletics Diversity and Inclusion Designees on each campus will assist our campuses as they strive to foster diverse and inclusive environments," stated NESCAC Executive Director Andrea Savage.
"ROI is excited to partner with Andrea and her team at the NESCAC! Athletics Diversity and Inclusion Designees play such a critical role in shaping the culture of the athletic department and the broader campus community. When they have access to the support and education needed to develop as inclusive leaders, it sets the tone for the entire department," stated ROI founder Nevin Caple.
Divided into six self-paced online modules, Return On Inclusion's comprehensive diversity and inclusion training is designed specifically for college athletic departments. Participants receive instruction on a variety of topics, including:
- Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging Foundations
- Cultural Competence & Managing Relationships
- Overcoming Bias, Microaggressions & Covering
- Unpacking Racism, Anti-Racism & Privilege
- LGBTQ+ Inclusion & Gender Stereotypes
- Inclusive Leadership & Strategic Plan Development
Instruction in all six modules is provided by Caple, a national thought leader on diversity, inclusion, and belonging in sport. The curriculum was developed by Caple in collaboration with the ROI advisory board – a diverse collection of college athletics administrators and scholars from around the country.
Since its launch in October 2020, ROI has emerged as an industry leader, helping athletic administrators, coaches, and staff at institutions and athletics organizations at all levels of competition develop the inclusive leadership skills necessary to support student-athletes across social and cultural differences. Participants who complete all six modules earn the ROI Inclusive Leader Certificate.
Caple hopes to set a new standard when it comes to how administrators and coaches are trained on diversity and inclusion topics in college athletics.
About Return on Inclusion
Return On Inclusion™ (ROI) is a sport-specific diversity and inclusion education platform dedicated to developing inclusive leaders and fostering a culture of belonging across social and cultural differences. Our self-paced modules standardize learning methods, deepening our commitment to helping every coach and athletic administrator develop the skills and competencies necessary to support student-athletes and achieve inclusive excellence in programs, policies and practices.