含羞草传媒

Hop, step, and jump. Hop, step, and jump.

Training for the 2004 Summer Olympic Games, could think of little else than the triple jump cadence.

Hop, step, and jump. Hop, step, and jump.

Then at practice, hop, step, and crack鈥攆ollowed by intense pain, doctors, and confirmation that his Olympic dreams shattered along with his ankle.

Dixon spent the next few years figuring out who he was off the field鈥攖he place where athletic ability and subsequent praise had become closely linked to his sense of identity. It was a journey as difficult鈥攊f not more so鈥攖han his climb to peak performance. During that dark, confusing time, he promised himself: If I鈥檓 ever in a position to help others transition to life after sports, I will.

Since July, Dixon has served as 含羞草传媒鈥檚 director of athletic diversity and inclusion and assistant coach for the men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 track and field teams. He is eager to return to the field as a coach, and he has a game plan to use the new role to promote a culture of inclusion. This job is personal, Dixon said.

鈥淚 was one of only a few African American kids in elementary school. People would ask to touch my hair, and I felt different until fifth grade, when I performed in front of my peers and teachers at a district track meet,鈥� he said. 鈥淔or the first time, I felt accepted and embraced, and from then on, my identity was as an athlete. I loved it, don鈥檛 get me wrong, but it was difficult to adjust once I left the arena.鈥�

Dixon never had an African American teacher or coach other than a friend鈥檚 dad who, after selling insurance all day, volunteered for Dixon鈥檚 high school track and field team. 鈥淚 had amazing coaches and teachers, but I never saw myself in those roles,鈥� he said. These and other life experiences inform his outlook on this new role and emphasize the importance of his presence at Augsburg, where he also teaches Introduction to Kinesiology.

鈥淚 am meeting student-athletes and talking with them about the challenges they face. I am working to be a presence on campus鈥攖o break down stereotypes for some and to be a role model for others,鈥� he said. 鈥淎longside student-athletes and our athletics administration, I want to create or enhance academic resources, life-skills development, and networking opportunities.鈥�

Personal connections and consistent, centralized support are critical to the success of underrepresented student-athletes, Dixon said. 鈥淎ugsburg is already ahead of the game. The student body is diverse, and there are many resources across campus that support inclusion. I plan to work with and build on what鈥檚 already there.鈥�

A plan鈥攕tarting with breakfast

As the sun rose on the second Thursday in October, Dixon greeted several tables of student-athletes seated in The Commons in Christensen Center. The young men of color connected with each other over breakfast before hearing advice from Jareck Horton, district sales manager
at PDC IDenticard, and Augsburg Football Assistant Coach . Dixon plans to invite successful men of color from a range of professions to these monthly networking socials, and he will hold similar events with other groups. 鈥�20 MAE, graduate assistant coach for track and field, said she and other students are thrilled with Dixon鈥檚 enthusiasm and vision for the role.

鈥淚n a world where, many times, the odds are stacked against us, leaders of color provide hope and strength,鈥� said Schuelke, a student in the Master of Arts in Education program. 鈥淚 came to Augsburg for the MAE program, but I was pleasantly surprised to find how diverse the campus is, and it is my absolute favorite part of my learning experience.

鈥淚f we can move the needle toward a more diverse group of leaders that better represent our country鈥檚 demographics, then students of color will begin to understand that the sky鈥檚 the limit in terms of their own hopes, dreams, and aspirations.鈥�

鈥淎longside student-athletes and our athletics administration, I want to create or enhance academic resources, life-skills development, and networking opportunities.鈥�

鈥擟hris Dixon, director of athletic diversity and inclusion

Position the result of NCAA diversity grant

Dixon鈥檚 position is largely made possible through a two-year NCAA Ethnic Minorities and Women鈥檚 Internship Grant, which provides financial assistance to member institutions who create full-time, entry-level administrative positions for people who identify as an ethnic minority and/or a woman, according to federal guidelines. The grant also supports professional development and formalized mentoring.

Augsburg was one of only 20 institutions and conference offices selected to receive the grant this cycle, and it is the third award for Augsburg in the past decade. The university first secured the Ethnic Minorities and Women鈥檚 Internship Grant during the 2012 to 2014 cycle to fund Jennifer Jacobs鈥� role as assistant director of NCAA compliance and assistant volleyball coach. In 2014, Augsburg received the NCAA鈥檚 Strategic Alliance Matching Grant, which funds full-time, mid- to senior-level athletics administration positions during a five-year commitment. Jacobs鈥� role then evolved into assistant athletic director of external relations and diversity and inclusion, in addition to her role as assistant volleyball coach. She is now head volleyball coach at Augustana University.

Augsburg鈥檚 Associate Athletic Director Kelly Anderson Diercks said the department is driven to advance diversity and inclusion. 鈥淓mbracing and connecting students of all backgrounds and experiences is the right thing to do, but it is also smart,鈥� she said. 鈥淢ore diverse teams are often stronger teams. They produce student-athletes who are better prepared to excel in play and in life.鈥�

Anderson Diercks is a product of the NCAA鈥檚 diversity grants, first as an intern for the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and then as an assistant director. The experience, Anderson Diercks said, transformed how she operates as a leader in a male-dominated profession. More than a decade has passed, but she remains in contact with the mentor assigned to her during the internship.

鈥淭hese are critical opportunities for women and minorities to enter into leadership positions with tremendous personal and professional resources designed to equip them with the tools and outlook to navigate difficult roles,鈥� said Anderson Diercks, who formerly served as chair of the NCAA Ethnic Minority and Women鈥檚 Internship selection committee. 鈥淲e are particularly excited about Coach Dixon鈥檚 position because, to our knowledge, it is the only role of its kind.鈥�

Augsburg is 鈥榓head of the game鈥�

Ali Spungen, associate director of Division III for the NCAA, said that about 130 positions have been awarded through diversity grants during the past five years鈥攖hat鈥檚 more than $36 million in funds for positions and professional development. Augsburg, Spungen said, stands out as a leader in the division, which is well positioned to meet the needs of diverse populations.

鈥淒ivision III allows student-athletes to play the sports they love within departments also focused on their academics and social engagement,鈥� said Spungen, also a past grant recipient. 鈥淭hese positions empower leaders like Coach Dixon to thrive, which inspires and encourages students. Augsburg clearly cares for its student-athletes and is willing to dedicate time and resources to ensure they are successful and well-rounded.鈥�

Dixon is ready and grateful to come full-circle鈥攖o be the coach and teacher he never had and to prepare others for the transitions he never saw coming.