Buckrham, Clougherty and Rice Recognized by University for History of Racism Seminar
3/19/2021 5:00:00 PM | Football, Women's Basketball, Student Athlete, Features, Flight 45, Intellectual Development
By: Justin Lafleur, Lehigh Sports Communications
Â
For six months, the Lehigh women's basketball team piloted an intensive discussion-oriented freshman seminar to help learn about the history of racism in America.
Â
And just last month, that concept was recognized by Lehigh University (as part of its initiative to solicit "creative ideas to transform Lehigh into an anti-racist institution").
Â
Behind the idea, and development of the idea, are senior Divine Buckrham from the football team, along with senior Mary Clougherty and junior Katie Rice from women's basketball. Â
Â
"Personally, I am super proud of Katie, Mary and myself," said Buckrham. "This is something we felt very passionate about, which is why we worked as hard as we did – talking with different coaches, professors and other faculty and staff to get their opinions on the idea. We definitely ran into some bumps in the road, but our persistence and drive about anti-racism on a national scale and within the university made it a no-brainer to keep pushing forward despite the hardships and frustration."
Â
The proposal was for an upperclassman student-led freshman seminar, a one-credit course, which as they said, "Will create a space where students can have honest, open conversations with peers to contribute to positive, meaningful change. Students will learn how to talk about race in America."
Â
As they also said in their proposal, "Building awareness is a necessary first step towards creating a more inclusive and compassionate world. Lehigh students will encounter diversity in their personal and professional lives. Compassion, understanding and perspective-taking are skills just like any other. These skills need to be reflected upon. These skills need to be practiced. These skills need to be taught."
Â
The proposal was selected by Lehigh University, meaning there will be further development.
Â
"Winning the proposal is just the first step, and we would like to diligently work with the university to further our ideas," said Rice. "I do not think this is a time when we or the school can stop to pat ourselves on the back, because there is still a long way to go in transforming Lehigh into the equitable, inclusive place it can be."
Â
The concept of a student-led freshman seminar would allow the students to take increased ownership, and responsibility, in helping create change.
Â
"The three of us are very grateful to the university for even giving us the opportunity to submit a proposal," said Clougherty. "We had high hopes that our submission would be selected because we truly believe a freshman seminar course would be extremely valuable and impactful in Lehigh's efforts to become an anti-racist institution.
Â
"Each of us individually have put in a lot of work to help our teams, coaches and department become more inclusive and diverse, so it means a lot that we may have the opportunity to continue that impact at the university level."
Â
The fact that the women's basketball team has already piloted the seminar (from June through the fall semester), and engaged in those conversations, only made the proposal that much stronger.
Â
"I am very grateful to my basketball teammates – especially the freshmen who didn't even know us that well when we starting having these important conversations – for committing themselves to a seminar like this for six months," said Clougherty. "It showed me the feasibility of a seminar to actually open minds and expand compassion and understanding among peers."
Â
This seminar will not be effective if those taking part aren't invested. It takes commitment leading into each session. Leading into one week, everyone on women's basketball read the first chapter of "How To Be An Antiracist" by Ibram X. Kendi. They also took the Harvard Implicit Bias Race test.
Â
Now, Buckrham, Clougherty and Rice hope this seminar can be taken beyond a single sports team and to the entire university.
Â
"Receiving this recognition at the university level is very important to Katie, Divine and me because it affirms to us that we can have a larger impact beyond the athletics department," said Clougherty. "Although we are all athletes, we know we have the ability to lead others outside our sports or interests."
Â
Buckrham, who is a member of the Student-Athletes of Color Leadership Council, believes a lot of strides are being made with the university and athletics department.
Â
"Since this is such a broad topic and issue, there is a ton more work to do," he said. "And we won't get anything accomplished without everyone on board. We won't ever have 100 percent of people agreeing on one thing, but mutual respect and listening will go a long way in this uphill battle we have been fighting for so long."
Â
Â
For six months, the Lehigh women's basketball team piloted an intensive discussion-oriented freshman seminar to help learn about the history of racism in America.
Â
And just last month, that concept was recognized by Lehigh University (as part of its initiative to solicit "creative ideas to transform Lehigh into an anti-racist institution").
Â
Behind the idea, and development of the idea, are senior Divine Buckrham from the football team, along with senior Mary Clougherty and junior Katie Rice from women's basketball. Â
Â
"Personally, I am super proud of Katie, Mary and myself," said Buckrham. "This is something we felt very passionate about, which is why we worked as hard as we did – talking with different coaches, professors and other faculty and staff to get their opinions on the idea. We definitely ran into some bumps in the road, but our persistence and drive about anti-racism on a national scale and within the university made it a no-brainer to keep pushing forward despite the hardships and frustration."
Â
The proposal was for an upperclassman student-led freshman seminar, a one-credit course, which as they said, "Will create a space where students can have honest, open conversations with peers to contribute to positive, meaningful change. Students will learn how to talk about race in America."
Â
As they also said in their proposal, "Building awareness is a necessary first step towards creating a more inclusive and compassionate world. Lehigh students will encounter diversity in their personal and professional lives. Compassion, understanding and perspective-taking are skills just like any other. These skills need to be reflected upon. These skills need to be practiced. These skills need to be taught."
Â
The proposal was selected by Lehigh University, meaning there will be further development.
Â
"Winning the proposal is just the first step, and we would like to diligently work with the university to further our ideas," said Rice. "I do not think this is a time when we or the school can stop to pat ourselves on the back, because there is still a long way to go in transforming Lehigh into the equitable, inclusive place it can be."
Â
The concept of a student-led freshman seminar would allow the students to take increased ownership, and responsibility, in helping create change.
Â
"The three of us are very grateful to the university for even giving us the opportunity to submit a proposal," said Clougherty. "We had high hopes that our submission would be selected because we truly believe a freshman seminar course would be extremely valuable and impactful in Lehigh's efforts to become an anti-racist institution.
Â
"Each of us individually have put in a lot of work to help our teams, coaches and department become more inclusive and diverse, so it means a lot that we may have the opportunity to continue that impact at the university level."
Â
The fact that the women's basketball team has already piloted the seminar (from June through the fall semester), and engaged in those conversations, only made the proposal that much stronger.
Â
"I am very grateful to my basketball teammates – especially the freshmen who didn't even know us that well when we starting having these important conversations – for committing themselves to a seminar like this for six months," said Clougherty. "It showed me the feasibility of a seminar to actually open minds and expand compassion and understanding among peers."
Â
This seminar will not be effective if those taking part aren't invested. It takes commitment leading into each session. Leading into one week, everyone on women's basketball read the first chapter of "How To Be An Antiracist" by Ibram X. Kendi. They also took the Harvard Implicit Bias Race test.
Â
Now, Buckrham, Clougherty and Rice hope this seminar can be taken beyond a single sports team and to the entire university.
Â
"Receiving this recognition at the university level is very important to Katie, Divine and me because it affirms to us that we can have a larger impact beyond the athletics department," said Clougherty. "Although we are all athletes, we know we have the ability to lead others outside our sports or interests."
Â
Buckrham, who is a member of the Student-Athletes of Color Leadership Council, believes a lot of strides are being made with the university and athletics department.
Â
"Since this is such a broad topic and issue, there is a ton more work to do," he said. "And we won't get anything accomplished without everyone on board. We won't ever have 100 percent of people agreeing on one thing, but mutual respect and listening will go a long way in this uphill battle we have been fighting for so long."
Â
Players Mentioned
DB
/ Football
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballChasing Greatness: The Road to the Patriot League Title - Part 2
Thursday, May 15
Chasing Greatness: The Road to the Patriot League Title - Part 1
Wednesday, May 14
Lehigh Sports Central: Women's Basketball
Wednesday, March 19
Lehigh Sports Central: Women's Basketball
Wednesday, January 29
