CHARLOTTE – The Atlantic Coast Conference has announced the recipients of the third annual 2023 ACC UNITE Award, which was created to honor individuals affiliated with the league who have made an impact in the areas of racial and social justice.
The UNITE Award is an initiative of the ACC’s Committee for Racial and Social Justice (CORE – Champions of Racial Equity) and was developed and approved by its 15 member institutions. Dr. Kevin White and softball head coach Marissa Young were named Duke’s recipients.
Dr. Kevin White embodies the ACC’s CORE mission – to promote and encourage racial equity and social justice through education, partnerships, engagement, and advocacy. Dr. White was synonymous with equity and inclusion within Duke Athletics. In the time he spent at Duke University as Vice President and Director of Athletics, Duke successfully earned eight NCAA championships demonstrating the strength of Duke Athletics.
Dr. White’s contributions to Duke, however, extend far beyond athletics themselves. In 2016, Dr. White was recognized by the NCAA Minority Opportunities and Interests Committee as a champion of Diversity and Inclusion. Dr. White was a champion of the people. He went above and beyond to place individuals from marginalized groups in positions of power in the hope of enhancing the administrative talent pipeline and diversifying a largely homogenous field.
Perhaps the most notable of Dr. White’s achievements in the field of racial and social justice is the number of young associates of all races and backgrounds that have come to find success because of White’s mentorship. As of 2016, 24 of his former aids have advanced to an athletics director position in colleges across the country. Dr. White’s dedication to equitable hiring is unlike anything existing within college athletics currently. Upon his arrival at Duke, the senior and executive staff included only one female. Today, it features 10 women and five ethnic minorities. While Dr. White has retired from his role as Vice President and Director of Athletics at Duke, his legacy is felt everywhere. Duke’s current policies and practices are a direct result of the foundation he laid.
Marissa Young came to Duke as its first African American female head coach. She was not only the first Black woman in this role, but also the first person in…
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