Pac-12 'Impact' initiative hosts African American Male Achievement Program
SAN FRANCISCO –- As a part of the Pac-12’s diversity-based social outreach initiative, Pac-12 Impact, the Conference welcomed students from the African American Male Achievement Program at Alliance Academy in Oakland to tour Pac-12 Studios and learn about career opportunities in sports.
The students who visited Pac-12 headquarters on Wednesday, May 31 are part of Oakland Unified School District’s African American Male Achievement Program, which seeks to improve academic and ultimately life outcomes for its students.
As part of the program’s college and career preparation curriculum, the students visit various workplaces in the Bay Area to gain exposure to unique career paths and sport-related opportunities.
“The Pac-12 is committed to diversity and inclusion and seeks to provide opportunity through the power of sport,” said Pac-12 Chief Marketing Officer Danette Leighton. “This visit was a great opportunity for the Pac-12 to help young people envision a future behind the scenes in the sports industry while getting some hands-on experience.”
The students were able to interact and network with leaders from across the Pac-12 Conference and Pac-12 Networks while learning about their various roles, from sports officiating to television production.
"I am a firm believer that our Kings will be what they see,” said Remi Bereola, the Manhood Development Program Facilitator at Alliance Academy Middle School. “Lessons promoting creativity, entrepreneurship, and critical thinking skills are embedded in our class curriculum, so field trips such as this one to Pac-12 Studios serve as a tremendous extension of our classroom learning."
The activities in which the students participated included testing virtual reality software, learning how to log football games and make real time officiating calls, producing a live studio show, and anchoring a segment of Pac-12 Sports Report.
About Pac-12 Impact
Pac-12 Impact is the social outreach initiative of the Pac-12 Conference. In the pioneering spirit of the West Coast, the Pac-12 is committed to using the power of sport to promote a culture of diversity and inclusion. The Pac-12 is spreading the message of inclusion, celebrating diversity, standing strong against bullying, and fostering fairness and good sportsmanship. More information can be found at pac-12.com/impact.
About the Pac-12 Conference
The Conference has a tradition as the “Conference of Champions,” leading the nation in NCAA Championships in 51 of the last 57 years, with 500 NCAA team titles overall. The Conference comprises 12 leading U.S. universities: The University of Arizona, Arizona State University, the University of California-Berkeley, the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), the University of Colorado, the University of Oregon, Oregon State University, Stanford University, the University of Southern California, the University of Utah, the University of Washington and Washington State University. For more information on the Conference’s programs, member institutions, and Commissioner Larry Scott, go to pac-12.com/conference.