By Heather Fabritze
Student Life Editor
Administrators, students, community members, and participants in the Department of Athletics gathered in Hynson Lounge on Thursday, Feb. 23 to celebrate 50 years of Title IX’s collegiate support.
“‘I Celebrate…:’ How Title IX Opened Doors for Girls and Women in Sports” was just one event in a semester-long acknowledgement of the passing of Title IX, which formally allocated a space for women in athletics. Organized by the Fiftieth Anniversary of Title IX Planning Group, the discussion invited current Vice President for NCAA Division III Louise McClearly to the Washington College campus.
Each of the four main speakers shared personal narratives involving their relationships with athletics, allowing small group discussions for attendees in between on the opportunities provided by Title IX.
“Sport has always been a pathway to discover the joy of self-reliance, camaraderie, and teamwork,” said Vice President of Student Affairs and Dean of Students Sarah Feyerherm. “This afternoon is all about what happens when everyone gets the chance to play.”
McClearly opened the event’s first section, which focused on the first generation of women who initially benefited from the passing of the amendment.
According to McClearly, when Title IX was established in 1972, over 3.6 million boys were involved in high school athletics. Just under 300,000 girls participated. Today, that number has grown to 3.4 million girls – and yet, McClearly pointed out, that is still less than the number of boys who participated over five decades ago.
“Today’s program is critical,” McClearly said. “It’s critical to keep this discussion ever present. Because as much as we’ve accomplished in the last 50 years, there’s still work to be done over the next 50 years.”
Interim Dean of Students Greg Krikorian continued the talk with a conversation on the importance of men supporting women in sports. WC also invited Mary Fisher, who was the first female African-American Athletic Director of Kent County High School, to discuss the barriers that continue to hold back women of color from the field.
While Fisher said that she was grateful current female student athletes at WC do not struggle to the same extent as previous generations, she emphasized the necessity of acknowledging those who made that possible, which was the purpose of this event.
Director of the Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience Dr. Adam Goodheart also took the time to honor the work of Senator Birch Bayh, who authored Title IX and was a Fellow of the Starr Center until his death in 2019.
According to Dr. Goodheart, Bayh was a “proud member of the Washington College community” and a champion of civil rights, who drafted more successful constitutional amendments than any person since James Madison – including the amendment that lowered the voting age to 18.
Like Bayh before them, female student athletes at WC continue to strive for equal representation in athletics.
“When [I was asked] to speak about my experience as a female student athlete, the first word that came to mind is fight,” said WC Volleyball Captain junior Jordan Fairchild. “Of course, like any athlete, I have fought for my place on my team. I fight for my time on the court, and I fight to better myself daily. But there are some other things that I have found myself fighting for along the way, notably equal recognition and resources in my sport, even in light of Title IX.”
Fairchild not only led discussion on “Today’s Female Athlete,” the final section of the event, but assisted in organizing the celebration as a whole. She shared her own personal experiences with her growth as a volleyball player and the essential support she received from her coaches and teammates.
The overall theme of Fairchild’s speech was one shared by all generations of female athletes in the room.
“When we put our energy into building up others, when we invest in their success, we will see greatness. Title IX has been foundational for the greatness of women in sports – not to say that they weren’t great before, but they were never given the opportunity to showcase their greatness,” Fairchild said. “So, let’s invest in each other, in the young girls and women in sports today, so that we will continue to see greatness.”
Elm Archive Photo
Photo Caption: Female student athletes benefitted from the implementation of Title IX on the College campus.