St. Clair County Community College (SC4) will serve as the host site for the Nov. 20 meeting of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s Task Force on Women in Sports. The meeting is open to the public and will take place from 1 to 4:30 p.m. in Room 150 of the college’s Welcome Center at 323 Erie St. in Port Huron.
Gov. Whitmer signed Executive Order 2019-16 in June 2019 establishing the Task Force on Women in Sports within the Department of State and naming Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson as chair. The task force – the first of its kind at a state government level – brings together local and national leaders to develop strategies that support and promote opportunities in Michigan for girls and women in sports.
SC4 continues to strengthen its commitment to equality and leadership in sports. The college recently announced the addition of women’s soccer and women’s golf to its athletic offerings. It also launched its SC4 Michigan Promoters of Women’s Equal Rights in Sports (SC4 MPOWERS) group and became the first community college member of WeCOACH, a national organization dedicated to the recruitment, advancement and retention of women coaches of all sports and levels.
“The Women in Sports Task Force brings together an extraordinary group of leaders to take on critical issues in our state,” said Benson. “I am proud Michigan is leading on this issue and grateful for the work of our hosts at St. Clair County Community College.”
Added SC4 President Dr. Deborah A. Snyder, “We’re thrilled to welcome Secretary Benson and the entire task force to campus and our region. We know sports provide camaraderie and support, build resilience, develop leadership skills and empower those involved in countless ways. Colleges and universities, working closely with their respective urban, suburban and rural communities, can take a lead role and do more to illustrate what’s possible for young women.”
This is the second full meeting of the Task Force. The task force will issue a preliminary report on its findings for the status of girls and women in sports in Michigan in the spring of 2020. They will then develop and issue a report of recommended solutions in early 2021. The task force will conclude its work in 2022, the fiftieth anniversary of Title IX.
For more information on the Task Force on Women in Sports, please visit the Secretary of State’s website at Michigan.gov/SOS.
