Rams Relief: Together Initiative
11/23/2020 8:00:00 AM | Ram Club, Stalwart Rams Relief
Colorado State went back to one of its own to spearhead an innovative move within the athletic department.
In 2013, the university brought back Albert Bimper, Jr., a three-year starter for the football team as an offensive lineman, as the Senior Associate Athletic Director of Inclusion and Diversity (as well as being a professor in the department of Ethnic Studies), becoming one of the first institutions nationally to recognize a need for leadership in the area.
Since his hire, he and his staff have been able to initiate real change within the department, but he is encouraged a bigger push is now being made through the development of the Together Initiative.
"I think the Together Initiative has the opportunity to one, identify unique to the department the issues and concerns and opportunities for education that our department is looking to engage in," Bimper Jr., said. "I think there's a collective effort that comes from the council. I think it can be really useful and significant in moving the needle in ways that haven't been so far."
The group was formed, inspired by a summer of racial unrest. It consists of members of the Colorado State athletic department -- coaches and staff members, as well as one student-athlete representative. A leadership council of seven oversees a group of more than 20 members, which has broken down into subcommittees which mirror the directives of the athletic department as a whole – Engage, Educate and Excel.
The organization has a tremendous opportunity to create real change on campus. Not just in how staff and coaches interact with the student-athletes, but how the student-athletes – present and future – feel about their place on campus and how it is perceived outside the university borders. To accomplish those goals will require funding, and through the Stalwart Ram Relief Fund, donors and former letter winners can help take ideas to reality.
"I think athletics is the most diverse unit on campus," Director of Athletics Joe Parker said. "Because of that, we have an opportunity to instruct, inform, teach others within the campus community and beyond the value of respecting each other and a deep and very authentic way. When we think about the campaign itself, and layer in some of the challenges that we've witnessed in our country over the last eight months, each of us, community by community have a responsibility and obligation to try to move us forward to a better place where there is a real solid footing for inclusion and diversity. I think that's why it's important we have the Together Initiative and why we support it."
Layne Doctson, an Assistant Annual Fund Coordinator for the Ram Club and also a member of the Together Initiative leadership council, called a fund of this nature unprecedented at Colorado State.
"The Together Initiative Fund is important because it directly supports programing, operations, initiatives and professional development opportunities in accordance with our mission and vision which is essentially to make Colorado State a more diverse and inclusive environment for our student-athletes, staff and coaches.
"Making sure CSU is an environment where we can engage student-athletes and fans diversely and inclusively to come is critical."
Kap Dede was hired this year as part of Steve Addazio's football staff. Among one of his first experiences in Fort Collins, he left the hotel he was staying at to go get some dinner. The server at the counter asked him if he knew where he was, referring to the community as a whole as "Vanilla Valley."
That struck Dede, who has worked primarily in the South, for the first time. He pointed out she didn't say it in a derogatory way – and he didn't take it as such -- just as a fact Fort Collins is a predominantly white community. In conversations with his players, it is something they are keenly aware of, too.
"I think alternately Colorado State, and definitely from the athletic program and student-athletes, I think in this environment, I think everybody is very supportive," said Dede, who has earned a PhD from Auburn in Administration in Higher Education. "From the student-athletes, the coaches, the administration, we all want to have an impact on the social climate and culture. We thought it was very important to start here at Colorado State. When you look at how we can make a difference and how can we make a change, I think it's important to start with where you're at before you work on to a broader perspective."
The Together Initiative is focused on becoming established with an eye toward the broader ripple effects of its work. Internally focused on the athletic department, it should eventually inspire change across campus and the larger community of Fort Collins which supports the university.
Early thoughts turn toward education, bringing in speakers and setting up seminars to aid the staff of the athletic department. Bimper, who has frequented the speaking circuit on the subject, knows they can be an essential aid, but they require funding.
Doctson specifically noted the ability to send more student-athletes to the NCAA's annual Black Student-Athlete Summit. Already this year, the athletic department helped the Student-Athlete Advisory Council fund a project to supply Black Lives Matter T-shirts to all student-athletes and athletic department staff who wanted one.
Dede was quick to become involved, noting the work of the group can be far reaching and long lasting, making Colorado State a more desirable destination for all students.
"There are great people here. I think by us showing that through sports and athletics, this community and this campus supports its minority students," Dede said. "I think it's a great initiative. I think we can do a lot. First here on our campus, and I think it can really grow and allow the people in our community to see it, this is what Colorado State stands for. The Together Initiative is something that is very important to us."
In 2013, the university brought back Albert Bimper, Jr., a three-year starter for the football team as an offensive lineman, as the Senior Associate Athletic Director of Inclusion and Diversity (as well as being a professor in the department of Ethnic Studies), becoming one of the first institutions nationally to recognize a need for leadership in the area.
Since his hire, he and his staff have been able to initiate real change within the department, but he is encouraged a bigger push is now being made through the development of the Together Initiative.
"I think the Together Initiative has the opportunity to one, identify unique to the department the issues and concerns and opportunities for education that our department is looking to engage in," Bimper Jr., said. "I think there's a collective effort that comes from the council. I think it can be really useful and significant in moving the needle in ways that haven't been so far."
The group was formed, inspired by a summer of racial unrest. It consists of members of the Colorado State athletic department -- coaches and staff members, as well as one student-athlete representative. A leadership council of seven oversees a group of more than 20 members, which has broken down into subcommittees which mirror the directives of the athletic department as a whole – Engage, Educate and Excel.
The organization has a tremendous opportunity to create real change on campus. Not just in how staff and coaches interact with the student-athletes, but how the student-athletes – present and future – feel about their place on campus and how it is perceived outside the university borders. To accomplish those goals will require funding, and through the Stalwart Ram Relief Fund, donors and former letter winners can help take ideas to reality.
"I think athletics is the most diverse unit on campus," Director of Athletics Joe Parker said. "Because of that, we have an opportunity to instruct, inform, teach others within the campus community and beyond the value of respecting each other and a deep and very authentic way. When we think about the campaign itself, and layer in some of the challenges that we've witnessed in our country over the last eight months, each of us, community by community have a responsibility and obligation to try to move us forward to a better place where there is a real solid footing for inclusion and diversity. I think that's why it's important we have the Together Initiative and why we support it."
Layne Doctson, an Assistant Annual Fund Coordinator for the Ram Club and also a member of the Together Initiative leadership council, called a fund of this nature unprecedented at Colorado State.
"The Together Initiative Fund is important because it directly supports programing, operations, initiatives and professional development opportunities in accordance with our mission and vision which is essentially to make Colorado State a more diverse and inclusive environment for our student-athletes, staff and coaches.
"Making sure CSU is an environment where we can engage student-athletes and fans diversely and inclusively to come is critical."
Kap Dede was hired this year as part of Steve Addazio's football staff. Among one of his first experiences in Fort Collins, he left the hotel he was staying at to go get some dinner. The server at the counter asked him if he knew where he was, referring to the community as a whole as "Vanilla Valley."
That struck Dede, who has worked primarily in the South, for the first time. He pointed out she didn't say it in a derogatory way – and he didn't take it as such -- just as a fact Fort Collins is a predominantly white community. In conversations with his players, it is something they are keenly aware of, too.
"I think alternately Colorado State, and definitely from the athletic program and student-athletes, I think in this environment, I think everybody is very supportive," said Dede, who has earned a PhD from Auburn in Administration in Higher Education. "From the student-athletes, the coaches, the administration, we all want to have an impact on the social climate and culture. We thought it was very important to start here at Colorado State. When you look at how we can make a difference and how can we make a change, I think it's important to start with where you're at before you work on to a broader perspective."
The Together Initiative is focused on becoming established with an eye toward the broader ripple effects of its work. Internally focused on the athletic department, it should eventually inspire change across campus and the larger community of Fort Collins which supports the university.
Early thoughts turn toward education, bringing in speakers and setting up seminars to aid the staff of the athletic department. Bimper, who has frequented the speaking circuit on the subject, knows they can be an essential aid, but they require funding.
Doctson specifically noted the ability to send more student-athletes to the NCAA's annual Black Student-Athlete Summit. Already this year, the athletic department helped the Student-Athlete Advisory Council fund a project to supply Black Lives Matter T-shirts to all student-athletes and athletic department staff who wanted one.
Dede was quick to become involved, noting the work of the group can be far reaching and long lasting, making Colorado State a more desirable destination for all students.
"There are great people here. I think by us showing that through sports and athletics, this community and this campus supports its minority students," Dede said. "I think it's a great initiative. I think we can do a lot. First here on our campus, and I think it can really grow and allow the people in our community to see it, this is what Colorado State stands for. The Together Initiative is something that is very important to us."
