Central Michigan University Athletics
On The Right Track
5/3/2018 12:00:00 AM | Track & Field
Lindsay Gerber, CMUChippewas.com
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. -- Freshman year for a student-athlete is filled with adjustments, acclimation and personal growth.
While some of that obviously comes in their athletic endeavors, it’s often more all-encompassing as they find themselves on their own for the first time.
In less than a year Central Michigan track and field student-athlete Lexi Robinson is making her mark.
Robinson, who hails from Walled Lake, was one of 30 student-athletes from across the nation who recently participated in the NCAA Inclusion Forum Regional Student-Athlete Engagement Program in Indianapolis.
She was one of just 10 student-athletes from Division I schools invited to participate in the three-day event.
“When I got there and saw the kids that were accepted to the program, I realized that there was only so many of us selected I felt pretty proud of myself,” said Robinson, who is redshirting this season.
The conference emphasized diversity-and-inclusion programming among college athletics. Participants that were chosen attended sessions that covered policy, research and practices that focused on core areas of race/ethnicity, women/gender equality, LGBTQ inclusion, disability sport, and international students.
Robinson, a double major in non-profit and public administration and international relations, applied for admission to the conference at the suggestion of Felicia Jefferson, her academic advisor.
Robinson said collegiate athletics should go beyond competition to address issues that impact the student-athletes.
“Outside of athletics, we are people,” she said. “There are a lot of social issues that affect all of us – not just minorities. Sometimes, I don’t see a place where those things are brought up or talked about. It’s just purely about our sport, and that is the main goal, but you can’t really perform if you don’t feel comfortable where you are.
“I want people to know that these issues are important. People tend to pass them off as superficial or that you should be able to do your sport without these things affecting you. Until you address these issues and have that kind of dialogue, you don’t even get to know people and realize the kinds of things they go through.”
Robinson said she hopes to get the ball rolling on a student-athlete inclusion program at CMU.
“If I left one thing with CMU athletics, besides obviously winning, it would be that we could create a space or program that will focus on diversity and inclusion within our department,” she said, adding that she will continually emphasize the importance of addressing broader issues beyond the athletic realm.
“(Student-athletes) are separate from the campus,” she said. “If we wanted to, we could simply just be at the track. I think if we could include engagement with other people that are already doing this kind of work on campus, it would be really important.”
