Division II schools have a history of connecting with their communities through campus events, especially athletics. Division II’s recent emphasis on community engagement has produced a Web site (diicommunity.org) that lets institutions share their community success stories and notify peers about upcoming events that put Division II institutions at the heart of their communities.
Following is a sample of those success stories:

Savor the Flavor
Newberry College
Newberry’s November 10 home football finale against Brevard College was proceeded by “Savor the Flavor,” an event in which local merchants came to the college campus and served their signature dishes for fans to enjoy. The event was held adjacent to Setzler Field for three hours before the game and featured barbecue, hot dogs, fried chicken and other savory treats.

“Newberry College would like to thank all the businesses and fans who supported this event and enjoyed some of the best food Newberry County has to offer. This event is just another fine example of the county and the college coming together and showing mutual support. We could not do what we do without our community’s support,” said Newberry Associate Athletics Director Matt DeWitt. “Their participation helped make our regular-season finale a huge success.

My Bearcat Dream
Lander College
The Lander women’s soccer team visits kindergarten classes at nearby Merrywood Elementary School to read and draw with 5- and 6-year-olds. They are also active with the Connie Maxwell Children’s Home.

“It’s a certain feeling when you do well on a test academically, and there’s a certain feeling when you win a game. But there’s something different about going to see kids and talking to them about their dreams,” said junior midfielder Stacey Copeland, who designed the program herself.

The players read books with the children, talk about life as a student-athlete, promote working hard in school and encourage them to be involved in exercise and sports.

One of the highlights of the program is “My Bearcat Dream is…,” in which the students draw and color what they want to be when they grow up. After drawing their “dream,” they get a My Bearcat Dream certificate.

“They believe they can do anything,” forward Jessica Skowron said. “When we ask them what they want to be when they grow up, they might say a doctor and a cheerleader. They want to be both. They all want to be a superhero. There is no cap on their imagination.”

“When we leave,” Copeland said, “we give out like 50,000 hugs. The kids are friendly. The feeling that you get when you leave and give them their certificates, there is nothing else in comparison.”
Copeland designed the program herself as a way to give back to the community. She hopes to include other Lander athletics teams and other elementary schools in the near future.