The underrepresentation of women, people of color, and LGBTQ+ professionals in coaching and sports leadership roles is one longstanding industry problem. Pay and promotion inequities, toxic workplace climates, racist and homophobic remarks about athletes and fans at sporting events, poor communication of equity investments and commitments, gentrification resulting from new stadium construction, and failing to attract and meet the expectations of a diverse fan base are some other challenges. The USC Race and Equity Center has created a new certificate program that will equip sports professionals with the knowledge and tools required to address these and other similar problems.
Our Sports Equity Leadership Academy includes six live, highly-interactive learning sessions. Participants will learn from our experts and each other during 12 dynamic hours of synchronous virtual engagement. Our instructors use live polling, videos, case vignettes, reflective moments, collaborative breakout room tasks, and other resources to bolster engagement. They also translate complex leadership concepts into useful practice and highlight adaptable examples of effectiveness from other sports organizations and businesses. Between each session, Academy participants will collaborate on solving timely problems of practice that confront intercollegiate and professional sports.
Certificates, Badges and Network Access
Academy graduates will receive certificates and badges from the USC Race and Equity Center and USC Marshall School of Business. They also will gain permanent access to EquityConnect®, our center’s digital engagement platform that houses hundreds of downloadable equity-focused resources. EquityConnect® will also provide Academy alumni a dynamic space through which to instantly connect with each other for years beyond their six-week experience together in the program. Specifically, they will be able to form virtual communities of practice and affinity groups, seek advice on ideas and vexing problems, and share useful resources across intercollegiate and professional sports contexts.
WHAT SPORTS LEADERS SAY ABOUT US
“For over a decade, the USC Race and Equity Center has been a trusted partner for professional sports teams, leagues, and college athletics departments. We have greatly benefited from the Center’s rigorous, high-quality programs, partnerships, research, and tools. The Center’s experts are recognized leaders in diversity, equity, inclusion, and sports.”
— Usama Young, Player Engagement Manager, National Football League
“The USC Race and Equity Center has been impactful in supporting our DEIB journey. Their team of highly skilled researchers and practitioners has provided trusted guidance in navigating the intersection of DEI and Sport. We look forward to continued collaboration in the future.”
— Dr. Porsia Curry, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Director, LA28 Olympics and Paralympic Games
“The USC Race and Equity Center is a standard-bearer at the intersection of DEI and sports. Dr. Shaun Harper has constructed an elite team of experts that is doing elite work in intercollegiate and professional athletics. This center is the answer for data-driven insights and solutions; it is truly a special space doing transformative work.”
— Dr. Ty-Ron Douglas, Associate Athletic Director, University of California, Berkeley
Earn a Credential From a Top University and Sports Leader
University of Southern California is one of the best, highest-ranked private research universities in the United States. Our reputation for academic excellence exists alongside our status as a sports powerhouse. We have produced more Olympians, gold medal winners, and overall medalists than any other university in the country. USC also has the third-highest number of NCAA championships across sports, the most Heisman Trophy winners, and impressive athletics facilities.
Our university is home to a dynamic research, professional learning, and organizational improvement center that helps leaders strategically develop and achieve equity goals, better understand and correct climate problems, avoid and recover from DEI-related crises, and foster sustainable cultures of inclusion. Our rigorous approach is built on research; scalable and adaptable models of success; and continuous feedback from partners, clients, and communities.
The USC Race and Equity Center has long led at the intersection of DEI and sports. Center staff and researchers have worked with the NFL, Major League Baseball, WNBA, Major League Soccer, National Women’s Soccer League, FIFPRO, and dozens of intercollegiate athletics departments. We are the DEI strategy architect and implementation partner, as well as the professional learning provider for the 2028 Olympics and Paralympic Games.
Academy Topics and Schedule
This six-week certificate program will begin in August 2024.
The live, highly-interactive professional learning sessions will be held on Zoom each Wednesday from 1-3pm EDT/10am-noon PDT.
August 7
Garnering Buy-In from Senior Leaders, Colleagues, and Fans
August 14
Recruiting Diverse Employees, Vendors, Suppliers, and Partners
August 21
Supporting, Retaining, and Advancing Women and Employees of Color
August 28
Delivering High-Quality Inclusion and Belonging Programs on Limited Budgets
September 4
Establishing High-Trust Relationships with Diverse Fans and Communities
September 11
Measuring and Communicating Progress on Equity Goals
Academy Leads
Shaun Harper, Ph.D.
sharper@usc.edu
Justin Morrow
justin.morrow@usc.edu
Cost and Registration
The cost of this certificate program is $2,750 per person, which includes the six live professional learning sessions, substantive feedback on the problems of practice assignments, and perpetual access to EquityConnect®, plus a certificate and badge from the USC Race and Equity Center and USC Marshall School of Business.
Seats in this Academy cohort are limited. Secure yours today.
Building On Our Recent Success
This certificate program is an adaptation of a successful partnership between our center and Major League Baseball. Launching in Las Vegas last November and culminating six months later in Los Angeles on the USC campus, the DEI Executive Leadership Academy equipped leaders across MLB teams and the Office of the Commissioner with knowledge and tools to achieve and sustain diversity, equity, and inclusion. The MLB Academy included six live, highly engaging learning sessions. At least 95% of participants rated each of the half-dozen sessions excellent and practically useful. In addition to the professional learning component, MLB leaders designed strategic DEI projects for their local workplaces and community contexts. The USC Race and Equity Center and USC Marshall School of Business awarded executive leadership certificates and badges to all MLB Academy graduates.
“The DEI Executive Leadership Academy for Major League Baseball has been a career highlight for me. The Academy provided an invaluable opportunity to engage deeply with peers and develop a project that I could implement within my own organization to drive positive change.”
— Michael Lara, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Manager, Boston Red Sox
