BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Patriot League student-athletes, coaches and staff will champion a multitude of causes beginning on Friday, Feb. 2, as the League’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) conducts the first of two “I Make My Voice Heard...” campaign weekends.
The campaign aims to empower student-athletes to actively participate in their local communities and prompt important conversations on their campuses. The campaign’s focus includes mental health and well-being, diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, voter registration, community engagement and volunteering.
“Our commitment to supporting our student-athletes to use their voices on topics that affect themselves and their communities is a League priority,” Patriot League Commissioner Jennifer Heppel said. “We are very proud of the work our Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) continues to do in using their platform to prioritize the important conversations taking place on their respective campuses and in their communities.”
Through the two campaign weekends, more than 7,000 Patriot League student-athletes, coaches, and staff will highlight ways they use their voice to positively impact their communities on Patriot League-produced placards during pauses in competition. “I Make My Voice Heard...” stamped bracelets and stickers distributed by the League will also be worn and promoted by participants throughout the event.
“The Patriot League SAAC is thrilled to lead the “I Make My Voice Heard…” campaign,” said Patriot League SAAC Chair Aldrich Elvambuena, a swimming student-athlete at American University. “We developed this initiative as a unique opportunity for each institution to spread awareness for social causes that their student-athletes are both passionate about and impacted by. SAAC wanted to provide a platform to empower student-athletes and use their roles as leaders to help make a difference on their campuses and communities. I’m so excited to see each school’s ideas come to life, as well as the cross-collaborations that will take place across our member institutions this weekend and in April.”
In addition to the February 2-4 weekend campaign, the League will conduct another “I Make My Voice Heard...” campaign during the spring sports season on April 12-14. Lastly, student-athletes from member institutions will participate in creating videos sharing how they make their voices heard in their communities. These measures will be shared across the Patriot League’s X - formerly known as Twitter - (@PatriotLeague) and Instagram (@patriotleague) accounts in addition to the athletics social media accounts from League member programs.
ABOUT THE PATRIOT LEAGUE
The Patriot League is in its fourth decade of academic and athletic achievement, continually demonstrating that student-athletes can excel at both academics and athletics without sacrificing high standards. The Patriot League’s athletic success is achieved while its member institutions remain committed to its founding principle of admitting and graduating student-athletes that are academically representative of their class. Participation in athletics at Patriot League institutions is viewed as an important component of a well-rounded education.