The Loyola University Chicago Athletic Department has long strived to be at the forefront of educating its student-athletes, coaches and staff on the topics of diversity, equity and inclusion. Since 2020, an Inclusive Leadership Series for department coaches and staff addressing topics around race, sexuality and its intersection with mental health has become an annual occurrence. Additionally, the department has developed programming and resources focusing on topics such as voter education, the Black Lives Matter movement, the LGBTQ+ community and mental health.
 
This past spring, the department examined DEI from a new perspective when the Ramblers visited the Illinois Holocaust Museum in nearby Skokie. The trip was developed by the Rambler Alliance for Equity (RAE) in partnership with the Atlantic 10 Conference's Commission on Racial Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. The A10 provided a grant designed to enhance and educate on the issues of diversity, equity and inclusion for the betterment of the student-athletes, coaches and administrators across the league's 15 campuses.
 
"The Atlantic 10 Conference made the decision last year to provide all its schools with funding to support DEI initiatives, and that's what really got us thinking in a different way," said Director of Athletics Steve Watson. "The fact that we have such an amazing resource in the Illinois Holocaust Museum right in our backyard, and with all that was happening with Antisemitism in our society, it just seemed like everything lined up for us to have this amazing, educational experience. Our goal from the beginning was to do something experiential, timely and impactful.  Thanks to the A10, our friends at the museum and extraordinary people like Lauren Schwer and Patti Ray, we were able to experience something really special."
 
The RAE partnered with Patti Ray, the Founding Hillel Director Emerita at Loyola, and Lauren Schwer from the Loyola's Office of Mission Integration on the initiative. Patti helped facilitate the partnership between Loyola and the Holocaust museum while the duo provided informational sessions to the department in advance of their trip.
 
"In my 35 years at Loyola, this is one of the initiatives about which I am most proud," said Ray. "The impact of these tours was immense and extends far beyond the individuals who participated. This was all about athletes,and athletes really do hold a place of special honor in our culture.  And with that honor comes influence. Each individual who participated, every student, coach, administrator and team chaplain, is going to share exponentially what was learned about the history of the Holocaust, the unfathomable results, and the opportunity to make sure that history's most horrific example of genocide never happens again.  And perhaps most importantly, we learned how we can all become "upstanders" and not just bystanders.
 
During their time at the museum, student-athletes, coaches and staff were provided docent-led tours of the museum, providing the Ramblers the opportunity to ask questions and hear from experts on the history of the Holocaust.
 
"I was telling my parents how awesome it is to be part of a program that cares so much about the person and humanity," said Amanda Cassidy, a member of the Loyola women's soccer program. "It brought up so many meaningful conversations with my teammates both during and after our visit. Even though it's a grave and hard topic to talk and learn about, I think it was a really good experience and we learned a lot."
 
The department had the opportunity to see artifacts from the period and learn about the events that led up to Hitler's rise in power. Loyola student-athletes, coaches and staff had the opportunity to hear from the child of two Holocaust survivors who was able to tell the tour groups their family stories. The group was also able to ask the docents questions about what life was like and were challenged by the docents to connect the events of that time period to what's happening in the world today.
 
"I have not had an experience like this at any other school," said Brandy Johnston, Loyola's head women's golf coach. "For me, my personal coaching philosophy has always been that sports should be about a lot more than winning and losing. That the things you take away from here should be things that you carry with you long after you leave. For me, I'm proud to be part of a department that recognizes that. It's what I personally believe in, and I think it's really special."
 
"I hope each student-athlete, coach and administrator left inspired by the strength, courage and resilience of our Survivors, empowered to be guardians of their memory and work on campus and in their own communities to ensure their messages for hope and peace for the future are not forgotten," added Kelley Szany, Senior Vice President of Education & Exhibitions for the Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center.
   
"It's our responsibility to speak up against injustice when we see it," said Kieran Murphy, Loyola Athletics Assistant Director of Marketing. "Being the silent bystander only gives power to the oppressor and allows these ideas to grow and spread, and unfortunately, history has repeated itself across the world and in the US. Many of the lessons we learned are still painfully relevant today across multiple communities."
 
Community members are encouraged to visit the Illinois Holocaust Museum (9603 Woods Dr. Skokie, IL 60077) or educate themselves through the museum's online resources or others, such as Stop Jewish Hate, Shine a Light On and the Anti-Defamation League, which provide many educational programs and resources.