BURNSVILLE, Minn. – The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) has unveiled the "NSIC Influencers of Change Pledge" to support diversity, equity, and inclusion. The pledge, which invites individuals to be influencers of change and to foster a culture of kindness and respect for all, will be read prior to all NSIC contests beginning in the 2021-22 academic year.
“Creating this pledge is the first step for the NSIC to make an active change in discrimination,” said Northern State University SAAC President
Zoe Hardwick. “Seeing all the changes from my freshmen year to now, I can say with all confidence that we are headed in the right direction. Our main goal for this pledge is to inspire all of our fans and supporters to also use their voice and make a change!”
In addition to the NSIC Influencers of Change Pledge, the NSIC SAAC will continue to engage with the conference’s partner, Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality (RISE) to further educate, support, and enhance diversity, equity, and inclusion.
NSIC Influencers of Change Pledge
The NSIC student-athletes pledge
To treat everyone with respect & dignity.
We will not tolerate discrimination of any kind.
We will stand up and speak out,
To create an inclusive environment for all.
We see the need for improvement,
And we will use our platform to be influencers of change.
Together we can foster a culture of kindness & respect for all,
We invite you to support our effort.
About NSIC SAAC
The Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) serves as the primary governance arm representing student-athlete interests in Division II affairs. SAAC members serve as student-athlete liaisons that monitor and discuss happenings on campuses, within conference and at the national level. For additional information, go to:
NorthernSun.org/SAAC
About the NSIC
The NSIC is a 16-team, 18-sport, NCAA Division II conference with institutions located in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota. The NSIC is a model Division II conference that uses high-level athletics competition to develop champions in the classroom and community while empowering student-athletes to be impactful and positive leaders. Formed in 1992 by the merger of the Northern Intercollegiate Conference (men’s league) and the Northern Sun Conference (women’s league), the NSIC has flourished over the past quarter century, maturing into a 16-team union of Upper Midwest colleges and universities. The NSIC has won 24 team national championships and crowned 81 individual national champions. For additional information, visit
NorthernSun.org.
About NCAA Division II
The NCAA, the national governing body for college athletics, is a volunteer association of more than 1,000 colleges and universities that classify their athletics programs in one of three membership divisions. The 300+ institutions in NCAA Division II support a balanced approach in which student-athletes can earn scholarships based on their athletic ability, pursue their desired academic degree, and participate in all the campus and surrounding community have to offer. Division II student-athletes annually graduate at rates higher than their student body peers, and they have access to the best championships-participant ratio among the NCAA’s three divisions. Division II gives student-athletes the unique opportunity to compete in the classroom, on the field, in their career, for their causes, and on their terms. For additional information, visit
NCAA.org.
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