ST. MARY’S CITY, Md. – Chris Harney ’97, assistant director of athletics & recreation for staff development and head men’s basketball coach, and Reava Potter, director of the cross country and track & field, have been named the athletics diversity and inclusion designee (ADID) by Director of Athletics & Recreation Crystal Gibson. Additionally, St. Mary’s College will participate in the 4th Annual NCAA Diversity and Inclusion Week social media campaign on Oct. 19-21.
“St. Mary’s College of Maryland and the athletic department are committed to increasing our awareness, education, and platform in the diversity, equity, and inclusion landscape. Through a year-long initiative looking at past practices within the department and best practices in the industry, we have developed a mission statement to look to and live by in the coming days, months, and years,” Gibson said.
The athletics diversity and inclusion designee, or ADID, will serve as a primary point of contact to receive and distribute information around diversity and inclusion topics. Harney and Potter, as the ADIDs, will be that point of communication between the NCAA national office, athletics department, conference office, and campus when information around inclusive programs, emerging diversity issues, and other related equity initiatives needs to be shared.
In conjunction with the announcement of Harney and Potter as the department’s ADIDs, the athletics department launched an Athletics Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity (DEI) page. The St. Mary’s College Athletics DEI page will be a central location for student-athletes, coaches, staff, and administrators to find DEI resources offered by St. Mary’s College Athletics, St. Mary’s College of Maryland, the NCAA, and other external athletic professional associations and institutions. We hope you will find the information reflective of our commitment to maintaining a diverse, inclusive, and equitable environment.
In addition to the Athletics DEI page, Harney and Potter will be advising a student-working group, which will meet periodically and allow students a platform to voice their concerns, provide feedback, and suggest solutions to champion change to keep St. Mary’s College a welcoming and inclusive community. If you’re interested in joining the student-working group, please contact Chris Harney at crharney@smcm.edu or Reava Potter at rnpotter@smcm.edu.
Harney is entering his 17th season at the College as the head men’s basketball coach and sixth as the assistant AD while Potter was hired in November 2020 as the inaugural head men’s and women’s track & field coach as well as the men’s and women’s cross country programs’ fourth head coach.
“Chris and Reava are committed to increasing the visibility of this platform throughout the department and with collaborative efforts across campus,” Gibson added.
Join St. Mary’s College Athletics on October 19-21 (Tuesday-Thursday of next week) when the Seahawks participate in the 4th Annual NCAA Diversity and Inclusion, a national social media campaign presented by the NCAA Minority Opportunities and Interests Committee (MOIC) and the National Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. Check out this social media campaign one-pager to find out this year’s daily themes.
- Day 1 (Oct. 19): “My Voice, My Platform”: Exploring student-athletes’ identities, perspectives, and experiences.
- Day 2 (Oct. 20): “Championing Change”: Outlining personal and institutional action steps for inclusive excellence.
- Day 3 (Oct. 21): “Belonging Is…”: Defining belonging to support fostering communities of belonging within athletics.