The University of Arizona Department of Intercollegiate Athletics has announced that it is accepting applications for a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Assistant, a position created as part of the commitment to the McLendon Minority Leadership Initiative (MLI).
The paid position was made possible by the generous financial support from McDonald's, a corporate sponsor of the McLendon Foundation.
The successful applicant will gain valuable experience as a member of the Arizona Athletics HR and C.A.T.S. Student-athlete development teams. The responsibilities outlined will provide the opportunity to gain industry experience in diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB), and leadership and career development. Click here for more info and to apply.
"The addition of this key position is part of our organization's ongoing commitment to further enhancing diversity and inclusion resources," said Vice President and Director of Athletics Dave Heeke. "Inclusion is a core value of who we are as an athletics department and how we live the Wildcat Way each and every day. Working with the McLendon Minority Leadership Initiative to enhance our diversity, equity and inclusion staffing is an important step as we continue to support the power of diversity at Arizona Athletics."
The purpose of the MLI is to provide minorities – known as MLI Future Leaders – a jump-start to their careers through practical experiences, opportunities to build their network, and instilling the values of John McLendon: Integrity, Education, Leadership, and Mentorship. Coaches participating in the initiative are Ambassadors of the program and will serve as mentors to the Future Leaders on their campuses. Candidates must have a bachelor's degree to apply.
"It is an honor for Arizona Athletics to participate in the McLendon Minority Leadership Initiative (MLI)," said Thomas Harris, Associate Athletic Director for Diversity, Inclusion & Employee Engagement at Arizona. "College athletics is a difficult field to break into and throughout my career, I have both experienced and observed the additional barriers faced by professionals of color. MLI seeks to eliminate some of these barriers, and I am honored to partner with them towards our shared goal of diversifying the industry. I would like to thank McDonald's, MLI, and NACDA for this exciting opportunity and we look forward to welcoming a future leader to Arizona Athletics."
As a program sponsor, McDonald's is fueling the significant growth of the MLI Future Leaders class from year one to year two, generously laying the financial groundwork for participating universities to provide employment experiences for the 2021-22 class. In addition to hands-on work experience, the cohort will participate in a bi-monthly Educational Series, presented and facilitated by McDonald's executives, to provide lessons on job interviewing skills, career planning and networking. Inherently, participants will be exposed to an array of career opportunities across McDonald's, helping to build a stronger pipeline for diverse talent at the company.
"McDonald's is so proud to team up with the McLendon Foundation and work together to create opportunities in the communities we serve," said Tiffanie Boyd, Senior Vice President & Chief People Officer for McDonald's USA. "We have a responsibility to drive change, and when we work together we can build an even greater and more inclusive talent pipeline for the future. We couldn't be more excited for what this class of Future Leaders will achieve."
"The McLendon Foundation has worked tirelessly over the last year to build a strong foundation for the Minority Leadership Initiative and the program has made a difference within the lives of many Future Leaders, ambassadors and college athletics as a whole," said Adrien Harraway, Director of the McLendon Foundation and Vice President of NACDA. "With the support of McDonald's, the MLI will continue to have a positive impact on campus communities across the country, providing access and opportunity to deserving minority candidates."
About
The John McLendon Minority Scholarship Foundation offers scholarships for minority students who intend to pursue a postgraduate degree in athletics administration and is home of the McLendon Minority Leadership Initiative, a new coach-driven program to create access to and opportunity for meaningful employment experience for minority candidates known as Future Leaders. Click here to learn more.
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