Community and Belonging - North Central College Athletics

Inclusion Team: The Inclusion Team (IT), led by assistant athletic director Brian Johnson, is a group made up of athletic-minded staff members and student-athletes that serves as the foundation of the Cardinals' athletics community and belonging initiative at North Central College. Three branches make up IT: Critical Conversations, UBELONG, and Community Engagement. Critical Conversations:  Critical Conversations are events held by members of IT, student-athletes, or outside speakers selected by IT that discuss topics on community and belonging, the student-athlete experience, identity, and more.  UBELONG: UBELONG is a social media initiative from the student-athlete perspective on experiences that they have had on campus to feel a sense of belonging. To view our UBELONG videos, click HERE and look at our past Instagram Reels. Community Engagement: IT is an athletics initiative that wants to be present across the entire community. IT Members: Brian Johnson '95/M '15 - Assistant Athletic Director / former NCAA DIII men's track & field athlete at North Central College Jim Miller '86 - Senior Director of Athletics / former NCAA DIII football and men's wrestling athlete at North Central College Brittany James '10/M '15 - Assistant Athletic Director for Health Care; Director of Sports Medicine / former NCAA DIII women's basketball player at North Central College Mallory Jones - Counselor for Mental Health and Student Belonging, Athletic Liaison / former NCAA DIII women's volleyball player at Dominican (Ill.) University Nicholas Osterloo '19/M'21 - Director of Athletics Communication

Annual Observations and Celebrations:

• Hispanic and LatinX Heritage Month (September 15 - October 15)
• Native American Heritage Month (November)
• National Girls & Women in Sports Day (February 1st)
• Black History Month (February)
• Women's History Month (March)
• Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month (April)
• Pride Month (June)
• Juneteenth (June 19)