TORONTO — Teaming up to champion diversity and inclusion in sports media, Sportsnet and Ryerson University’s Faculty of Communications & Design, FCAD, have announced the Sportsnet Diversity and Gender Equity Initiative, set to launch for the Fall 2020 semester.
The Sportsnet Diversity and Gender Equity Initiative empowers students from diverse backgrounds to pursue careers in sport media. Sportsnet has committed $100,000 to FCAD’s Sport Media program to provide scholarships to four students, plus year-round diversity workshops at the university’s Global Experience Sport Lab (GXS). The scholarships will be awarded to two high-performing third-year students and two students entering the program who identify as a woman, Indigenous, and/or a member of an equity-seeking group.
As part of the partnership, Sportsnet will also provide resources and mentoring opportunities to foster a culture of diversity in the workplace for Sport Media students.
“Sportsnet is dedicated to cultivating a new generation of media professionals that reflects Canada’s diversity,” said Bart Yabsley, President of Sportsnet. “The Sportsnet Diversity & Gender Equity Initiative embodies the core values and identity we strive towards as a network and media leader in Canada. We are tremendously excited to work with Ryerson to offer this program to Sport Media students.”
“It’s through important partnerships like this with Sportsnet that enable us to provide a unique program centred on diversity and inclusion to prepare students to become tomorrow’s change-makers and thought leaders,” said Charles Falzon, Dean of FCAD at Ryerson.
“At FCAD, we foster a community for women and men to come together and engage in activities and discussions related to gender equity and diversity in sport media,” said Laurel Walzak, Director of GXS and Assistant Professor of Sport Media at FCAD.