USRowing Wins USOPC’s 2022 NGB DEI Choice Award for STEM to Stern

For the third time since the inception of the award in 2015, USRowing has been selected as the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee's recipient of the NGB Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI) Choice Award – this time for the STEM to Stern program.

Voted on by the USOPC member national governing bodies (NGB) and high-performance management organizations (HPMO), the DEI Choice award recognizes a single diversity, equity, and inclusion best practice or a series of diversity, equity, and inclusion best practices each year. A USOPC internal selection committee narrows down the submissions, with the winner being selected by the NGBs and HPMOs.

STEM to Stern earned this year's honor among NGB representatives in the $10 million-plus annual revenue category. The program received a $5,000 grant and was honored at the NGB Best Practices conference earlier this month.

"It's an honor to be recognized by the USOPC and our fellow NGBs for the work we are doing with STEM to Stern," said USRowing Chief Community Engagement Officer Jennie Trayes. "The team works hard to support partner clubs with the day-to-day obstacles of breaking down barriers, improving boathouse cultures, and ultimately, changing rowing to make it more accessible and welcoming to all. There is much more we, as the leaders of the sport at USRowing, can and will do, but we are grateful to the USOPC for the award and grant to support these ongoing efforts."

The STEM to Stern program, which originated at the Milwaukee Rowing Club in Wisconsin, was started as a way to eliminate the barriers of participation and to increase representation on the team. USRowing joined forces with STEM to Stern to expand the reach and accessibility of rowing across the United States, making it the largest rowing program focused on diversity, inclusion, and competition in the country. STEM to Stern has grown to support 25 programs from the east to the west coast.

STEM to Stern's "boots on the ground" approach – in providing swim lessons, transportation, food, and STEM education – ensures success in reaching those populations that have limited access to rowing. Not only does STS help some of the most competitive rowing programs across the country open their boathouse doors to athletes who have been marginalized in the sport, the STS team provides training and development to club leaders to ensure the culture of the whole boathouse is inclusive and welcoming. In addition, being involved at the community level provides leaders at partner rowing clubs the support, accountability, and community needed to ensure sustainable diverse and competitive rowing programs.

"We're honored to win this award and are excited to continue the work of making rowing more diverse and competitive," said STEM to Stern Director Will Bott. "This award belongs to the program leads, coaches, college facilitators, parents, teachers, and administrators of the student-athletes – everyone involved in supporting STEM to Stern and creating inclusive spaces at their boathouses."

USRowing previously won the DEI Choice Award in 2015 and 2016.

For more information on the STEM to Stern program, click here.