Northwestern University Athletics

King NU P.R.I.D.E. Announces 2017-18 Student Executive Boards
9/13/2017 4:21:00 PM | Academic Services & Student Development
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern University student-athletes have announced their Robert E. and Emily H. King NU P.R.I.D.E. executive boards for a trio of leadership groups for the upcoming 2017-18 academic year.
In keeping with the goal of the Northwestern University Department of Athletics and Recreation to provide our student-athletes with a world-class experience, the mission of the King NU P.R.I.D.E. Program is to help students find personal success through service to the campus and their community while enhancing their leadership skills, celebrating diversity, and promoting student-athlete welfare through meaningful programming.
Engage
The Engage executive board is committed to creating an inclusive environment within athletics. They work to plan and execute monthly workshops, that are open to all student-athletes. These workshops center on diversity and inclusion and our executive board serve as champions of NUDARS inclusion statement.
The Engage executive board for 2017-18 consists of:
• Justin Jackson, Football
• Robbie White, Men's Soccer
• Jack Thorne, Men's Swimming and Diving
• Andrew Otterman, Football
• Ella Lombard, Fencing
Student-Athlete Advisory Committee
Serving as the channel for student voice, two or three representatives from all 19 varsity teams serve on SAAC and meet collectively multiple times per quarter. These meetings are run by the executive board who meet every week to not only plan the larger SAAC meetings but also various events and programs throughout the year, including the canned food drive, NESPYS, faculty appreciation dinner and more.
The SAAC executive board for 2017-18 consists of:
• Jared Thomas, Football
• Sammy Nettling, Softball
• Braden Thuraisingham, Men's Soccer
• Tyler Lis, Men's Swimming and Diving

Additionally, Taylor Tashima (volleyball) is serving on Big Ten SAAC Board where representatives from all 14 Big Ten institutions gather to meet every quarter at the league headquarters in Rosemont.
At the Divisional level, Tommy Doles (football) is one of only 32 students in the country currently serving on the NCAA Division I SAAC Board. Tommy was selected from a vast pool of candidates and travels to Indianapolis to represent Northwestern and the Big Ten Conference. Also at the Divisional level, Sammy Nettling (softball) is serving on the Competition Oversight Committee.
More information on these roles found here.
P.U.R.P.L.E.
Peers Urging Responsible Practice Through Leadership and Education (P.U.R.P.L.E.) is a group of mentors whose purpose is to work to equip student-athletes and the athletic department with the knowledge and skills necessary to promote and lead healthy lifestyles while working to destigmatize help-seeking behaviors. Mentors are represented from each of the 19 varsity teams and the student executive board leads this group and helps to coordinate and run two workshops per quarter on various identified topics.
The P.U.R.P.L.E. executive board for 2017-18 consists of:
• Gabby Hazen, Volleyball
• Emine Yucel, Fencing
• Janet Mao, Women's Golf
• Lindsay Adamski, Women's Swimming and Diving
• Jason Ipsarides, Wrestling

More information on all three of these groups can be found here.
In keeping with the goal of the Northwestern University Department of Athletics and Recreation to provide our student-athletes with a world-class experience, the mission of the King NU P.R.I.D.E. Program is to help students find personal success through service to the campus and their community while enhancing their leadership skills, celebrating diversity, and promoting student-athlete welfare through meaningful programming.
Engage
The Engage executive board is committed to creating an inclusive environment within athletics. They work to plan and execute monthly workshops, that are open to all student-athletes. These workshops center on diversity and inclusion and our executive board serve as champions of NUDARS inclusion statement.
The Engage executive board for 2017-18 consists of:
• Justin Jackson, Football
• Robbie White, Men's Soccer
• Jack Thorne, Men's Swimming and Diving
• Andrew Otterman, Football
• Ella Lombard, Fencing
Student-Athlete Advisory Committee
Serving as the channel for student voice, two or three representatives from all 19 varsity teams serve on SAAC and meet collectively multiple times per quarter. These meetings are run by the executive board who meet every week to not only plan the larger SAAC meetings but also various events and programs throughout the year, including the canned food drive, NESPYS, faculty appreciation dinner and more.
The SAAC executive board for 2017-18 consists of:
• Jared Thomas, Football
• Sammy Nettling, Softball
• Braden Thuraisingham, Men's Soccer
• Tyler Lis, Men's Swimming and Diving
Additionally, Taylor Tashima (volleyball) is serving on Big Ten SAAC Board where representatives from all 14 Big Ten institutions gather to meet every quarter at the league headquarters in Rosemont.
At the Divisional level, Tommy Doles (football) is one of only 32 students in the country currently serving on the NCAA Division I SAAC Board. Tommy was selected from a vast pool of candidates and travels to Indianapolis to represent Northwestern and the Big Ten Conference. Also at the Divisional level, Sammy Nettling (softball) is serving on the Competition Oversight Committee.
More information on these roles found here.
P.U.R.P.L.E.
Peers Urging Responsible Practice Through Leadership and Education (P.U.R.P.L.E.) is a group of mentors whose purpose is to work to equip student-athletes and the athletic department with the knowledge and skills necessary to promote and lead healthy lifestyles while working to destigmatize help-seeking behaviors. Mentors are represented from each of the 19 varsity teams and the student executive board leads this group and helps to coordinate and run two workshops per quarter on various identified topics.
The P.U.R.P.L.E. executive board for 2017-18 consists of:
• Gabby Hazen, Volleyball
• Emine Yucel, Fencing
• Janet Mao, Women's Golf
• Lindsay Adamski, Women's Swimming and Diving
• Jason Ipsarides, Wrestling
More information on all three of these groups can be found here.
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