athletics, ashley stone, award, dei
May 24, 2023
Oakland University Associate Athletic Director for Student-Athlete Experience Ashley Stone has been named a 2023 Champion of Diversity and Inclusion by the NCAA for her work on campus and in the community supporting underrepresented groups and ethnic minorities.
According to the NCAA: "The recognition was created in 2015 by the MOIC to honor individuals at NCAA colleges, universities and athletic conferences who have shown a commitment to promoting diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging; advocating for ethnic minorities; and advancing others within the college athletics space that goes beyond their profession. Individuals are nominated and selected for the honor twice a year."
Stone, who has been at Oakland since May 2019, is one of three selected for the distinguished honor having been the catalyst for OU's Athletics Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council as well as implementing OU's DEI Impact Summit for Golden Grizzly student-athletes and staff.
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| Ashley Stone, OU Athletics |
"It's truly an honor to be recognized alongside this year's recipients and among past recipients," said Stone. "Athletic departments are often referred to as the front porch of a university. For me, it's important that all who pass by and spend time on our porch (and in our house) feel as if they were involved in its initial and continued design. A front porch where individuals feel welcomed, supported, and respected for who they are, not who others think they should be. I'm grateful to work with a team of student-athletes, coaches, and staff who share this same mindset and continue to invest and lean into creating a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive athletic department and community."
The three honorees are:
- Stefanie "Stevie" Baker-Watson, associate vice president for student wellness and Theodore Katula Director of Athletics and Recreational Sports, DePauw.
- Charvi Greer, deputy athletics director, student services/senior woman administrator, Tulane.
- Ashley Stone, associate athletics director for student-athlete experience/senior woman administrator, Oakland.