The Last Word

The Spring 2022 issue of ONE MARYLAND Magazine recently arrived in the mailboxes of Terrapin Club members. ONE MARYLAND features stories of strength and perseverance, of determination and spirit. These stories define our athletics program, and this new magazine will allow us to share these stories with you. Over the next few weeks, we will be rolling out some of these stories on umterps.com as a preview of what you will find in ONE MARYLAND. To receive future issues of the magazine when they debut, please join the Terrapin Club. We hope you enjoy.

Farewell Terp family! It is bittersweet to be walking away from my dream school. I have dreamed of playing softball at the University of Maryland since I was a little girl. 

I have been a catcher on the softball team for four years, and I have made friendships that will last a lifetime and enjoyed the blood, sweat, and tears that go into playing a sport in college. 

It is hard to say farewell to my home, but I am so grateful for the opportunity to be a part of Maryland Athletics and serve my fellow student-athletes as the 2021-22 Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) President. As SAAC President, I was able to raise awareness to public safety concerns, create a partnership with UMPD, and navigate the complexity of terp fuel. This has truly been the most rewarding position I have had as a student-athlete. 

As president, I was able to discover what I am truly passionate about. I am passionate about serving student-athletes, and I plan on turning my passion into a career in the near future. 

Nevertheless, I would not have been blessed with this opportunity if it were not for Title IX. For those that do not know, Title IX is a federal civil rights law that prohibits schools that receive federal funding to discriminate on the basis of sex. 

One of the original founders of Title IX is a University of Maryland alumni, Bernice Sandler (who is featured on Page 12 of this magazine) and 2022 marks the 50th anniversary of Title IX! Title IX as a whole has done so much for female student-athletes like myself. 

Without Title IX, college athletics would not have a space for women to compete and showcase their talents. Title IX has also served every female student-athlete at the University of Maryland. 

Title IX gave us a seat at the table. 

Women’s sports are powerful, and our women’s teams at the University of Maryland are dominant. Without Title IX, the University of Maryland and many other universities would not have as many conference champions and national wins. 

Specifically, at the University of Maryland, 28 out of our 47 national championship wins have come from women’s sports. Women’s sports and their wins need to be celebrated just as much as men’s sports and their wins. 

Title IX is influential and has done much for women, but we are not done yet! For me, Title IX did more than just give me the opportunity to play softball in a Power Five conference. Again, Title IX gave me a seat at the table. Without Title IX, I would not have been a loud and passionate member of Maryland Athletics. Title IX gave me the platform to enter college athletics and I was able to run with this opportunity and create substantial change. 

Before I go, I want Terp Nation to know where they can find me next year. I will be going to the University of Oklahoma and pursuing a Master's in Adult and Higher Education with a concentration in Intercollegiate Athletic Administration. I will also be a graduate assistant in academic services for student-athletes, where I will be following my passion. 

Thank you Terps, I could not have done it without all of your constant support. As always, go Terps!

Katie Dustin has been a member of the Maryland softball team since 2019 and served as the Student-Athlete Advisiory Council's President for the 2021-22 year.