Racial diversity awareness among intercollegiate student athletes at an NCAA division iii institution

Due to an underrepresentation of minority students at the study campus, racial diversity exposure for student athletes is limited. A student athlete diversity education program is not currently offered on this college campus. The purpose of the study was to evaluate a program for introducing racial diversity and inclusion to student athletes at this institution. Grounded in social identity theory, social learning theory, and critical race theory, this study examined a university-sponsored racial diversity awareness seminar for student athletes (N = 88). A mixed methods study design was employed to examine the difference in student athletes' perceptions about racial diversity before and after participating in a racial diversity awareness seminar. Pre- and post-tests were conducted using a Likert-scaled survey instrument that allowed the student athletes to participate anonymously. Twenty-four of the original participants also participated in 2 focus group interviews sessions so as to provide a qualitative component to the study. Transcriptions of the focus groups were themed and coded for analysis. The results showed that attending the diversity seminar increased students' perceptions of racial diversity; however, the change was not statistically significant. Qualitative results identified 3 main themes: lack of racial diversity on athletic teams, recruiting as a means for increasing team diversity, and advice for minority athletes new to athletic teams. These results highlight the importance of diversity awareness seminars, and give athletes tools for functioning in a global society. A potential for social change may exist by teaching student athletes how to have positive interactions with people of origins different from their own. Even though this specific seminar did not produce a statistically significant change, it nevertheless produced a modest increase in racial diversity awareness.