On Sunday, March 30th, from 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM at the Boltwood Inn, an ad hoc committee hosted The Divide: A Community Conversation, an event designed to foster meaningful dialogue among students about their experiences with the student-athlete and non student-athlete divide on campus.

The goal of the gathering was to create a space where students could openly share their perspectives and begin working toward innovative, strengths-based solutions to help bridge the divide. Through thoughtful dialogue, proactive initiatives, and meaningful engagement, the ad hoc committee aimed to foster deeper understanding and stronger connections across campus. This event marked an important first step in that ongoing effort.

Our ad hoc committee, made of faculty, staff, and students, will be meeting in the coming weeks to review the notes and themes gathered during the roundtables at the event. They'll use this information to continue exploring ways to strengthen connections between student-athletes and non-athletes and build a more unified campus community.

Below is a brief recap of the structure of the event for reference:

• A panel of five students shared their personal experiences with the Divide.

• Faculty and staff facilitated small group discussions using two key questions:

  1. Drawing on your experiences and what you've heard from panelists,  what strategies would you like to see the college implement to address the student-athlete and non student-athlete divide?

  2. Based on what you heard today, what is one personal commitment you can make to help bridge the divide? How will you or how can others help hold you accountable?