COLLEGE PARK, Md. – For more than 27 years, Don McPherson has used the power and appeal of sport to address complex social justice issues. On Monday, Nov. 17, the College Football Hall of Famer delivered a powerful message about the prevention of sexual violence and bystander intervention.
Monday's presentation to Maryland student-athletes focused on being better informed about specific responsibilities with regard to sexual assault prevention, understanding their public visibility and their responsibility as representatives of the University and having a better understanding of University policy.
“This is something we can definitely appreciate, being student-athletes,” said Matt Dunn, a junior defender on the Maryland men's lacrosse team. “You hear stuff like this sometimes and it doesn't really stick with you. But, having a motivational speaker like Don McPherson come in and talk with us really leaves a lasting impression on our lives. That allows us to think of it more often and can really influence our actions and I think the point of this thing is to help us all change our actions by keeping this message in the back of our minds as we go about making our everyday decisions.”
The hour-long program also included a presentation from Catherine Carroll, the University's Director of Office of Sexual Misconduct & Relationship Violence and Title IX officer, on the University's Code of Conduct.
“The idea is to help these student-athletes see themselves in the ongoing conversation around how they treat each other, how they talk to one another, how they respect each other and how they support each other,” said McPherson. “Because making good decisions about social issues is no different from supporting each other on the field.
“I'm hoping to make them comfortable with the conversation, so that they continue beyond tonight to see themselves in activities on campus or other programs that are designed to hopefully create healthy relationships. These student-athletes prepare everyday to make good decisions on game day and it's no different in social issues and situations. We have to be comfortable with the conversations to be able to see all of the different places where we can learn about making good decisions on social issues.”
“This program is another opportunity in our commitment to The Maryland Way and our student-athletes by helping prepare them with sound leadership and life skills and giving them a foundation to help them persevere through everyday challenges,” said Dr. Sue Shelburne, Assistant Athletics Director for Life Skills and Career Development. “We put on this event tonight because our student-athletes need to be aware of the new policy changes and guidelines at the University, but we also want to continue to foster respect and care for each other. Tonight's program helps build on the base that our student-athletes already have and reminds them to treat each other in a positive way. It's really an extension of what they are already doing."
As an athlete, McPherson was a unanimous All-America quarterback at Syracuse University and is a veteran of the NFL and Canadian Football League. As captain of the undefeated 1987 Syracuse football team, McPherson set 22 school records, led the nation in passing and won more than 18 national “player of the year” awards, including the Maxwell Award as the nation's best player, the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award and the inaugural Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award. He was second in the Heisman Trophy voting. In 2008 McPherson was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame. In 2013 Syracuse University retired his #9 jersey. Only the fourth number (and one of five) to be retired in the history of the University's storied football program.
Since 1986 McPherson has delivered school and community based programs addressing issues such as drunk driving, alcohol and substance abuse, bullying, youth leadership and mentoring. Upon retiring from pro football in 1994, he joined Northeastern University's Center for the Study of Sport in Society as national director of Athletes in Service to America. In 2002 he founded the Sports Leadership Institute at Adelphi University, for which he served as executive director until 2007.
In 1995 McPherson turned his focus to the issue of “men's violence against women,” as director of Sport in Society's Mentors in Violence Prevention Program, taking over for the program's founder, Jackson Katz. McPherson emerged as a national leader and advocate for the prevention of sexual and domestic violence. He has conducted workshops and lectures for more than 250 college campuses, community organizations and national sports and violence prevention organizations. His programs and lectures have reached more than 1 million people.
McPherson has served as a board member, consultant and advisor for several national organizations including the Ms Foundation for Women and the National Football Foundation and the US National Committee for UN Women. He currently serves on the board of the Arc of Onondaga Foundation. McPherson recently joined the Advisory Board of the Center for the Study of Men and Masculinities, at Stony Brook University.
“One of the reasons we knew Don would be effective is because he has experience balancing the demands of being a student-athlete. He's also been an advocate for women's issues and for treating others with respect. He has relatable experience as a former student-athlete and challenges others to be a positive, inclusive, respectful person. We knew our student-athletes would be able to relate to him as someone who can understand them and speak their language.”
McPherson hopes that if Maryland student-athletes take anything away from tonight's program it is “That they see themselves in this conversation. That they see themselves in the immediacy and that they can be a part of any kind of learning they can do about social issues, including sexual and dating violence.”
