APPLETON, Wis. -- Lawrence University men's assistant basketball coach Jerome Foster has been chosen to be part of the NCAA Division III Inclusive Leaders Program. 
    A native of Michigan City, Ind., Foster is part of a group of 28 that forms the Division III Inclusive Leaders Program.
    The Division III Inclusive Leaders Program was established to advance the recruitment and retention of student-athletes of color, according to the NCAA website. The Division III Diversity and Inclusion Working Group, in collaboration with Return on Inclusion, which is a sport-specific diversity and inclusion consultancy and credentialing program, have developed the program. Division III conferences and institutions can request a two-hour workshop with a trained facilitator. 
    Foster, a 2021 graduate of Lincoln Christian University, was immersed in the Inclusive Leaders Program during his recent trip to the NCAA Convention. 
    "I was the youngest attendee in the room during my two-day trip and gained so much knowledge from all my fellow committee members. Through conversations and networking, I was able to learn a lot about the importance of my role in athletics and the importance of doing it well. It was a great experience led by an awesome group of leaders," said Foster, who earned degrees in business and sports management from Lincoln Christian.
    "I gained so much more knowledge and understanding for both how much these positions mean for not only our university but our students and future students that look like me. I am excited to take everything I have learned and apply it here at Lawrence. Big thanks to Jason (Imperati) and Michelle (Detwiler) for encouraging me to apply and really enjoy the moment."
    Foster came to Lawrence in 2023 to serve as an assistant coach with men's basketball and also work as the Department of Athletics Diversity Coordinator.
    "We are excited that Jerome was able to represent the athletic department at the inaugural Division III Inclusive Leaders Program," Lawrence Director of Athletics Jason Imperati said. "This was an opportunity for Jerome to learn from some of the leaders in the DEI space within the NCAA. We hope that we can take some of the best practices learned during this workshop and implement them in our department moving forward."
    The Division III Inclusive Leaders Program has three major objectives for program participants. It seeks to identify strategies and best practices for institutions, and specifically head coaches and athletics department staff and administrators, to enhance their recruitment and retention of students of color. It seeks to recognize the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion in college athletics, learn common terms, definitions and concepts and hear the often-unheard voices of student-athletes of color. The final objective is to understand the involvement of the NCAA and Division III membership in advancing diversity, equity and inclusion and more specifically, build racial equity knowledge.
    "We are so proud of Jerome for getting accepted into this national-level professional development program and representing Lawrence University," Associate Director of Athletics Michelle Detwiler said. "To be in the first cohort of this program is an extreme honor. As we continue to strive for an inclusive environment within athletics, we will continue to build our diversity, equity and inclusion strategies to support our student-athletes, staff and coaches." 
    Foster said wading through the information presented to the committee members provides and impetus to get student-athletes of color on a path to success. 
    "The true need to have a plan in place to support and give our student-athletes of color and students of color a real chance of success is critical," Foster said. "We reviewed a lot of stats and case studies that showed us many students of color do not have a plan when they get to a university. Having a plan in place for them will be huge for ensuring success for these students."