UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics is celebrating the 50th anniversary of Title IX with the launch of a special Title IX website. The landmark legislation, which was passed on June 23, 1972, created numerous opportunities for women in collegiate sports and impacted the future for many young women in subsequent years.
"Penn State is looking forward to celebrating the 50th anniversary of this landmark legislation," said Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Sandy Barbour. "The foundation set by Title IX legislation in the 1970s was built by the amazing women who came before us and continues to be strengthened by the women in sports now who have a responsibility to teach and mentor the next generation on young women, so they know if they dream it, they can achieve it."
"When I first moved from coaching into administration there weren't very many women in college athletics outside of coaching," continued Barbour. "Much has changed today as women in just about every role imaginable are prevalent and almost common place. We still have work to do in many areas, including more women in leadership positions, and certainly in the athletic director's chair, but there's no doubt that any of our female student-athletes, female coaches and staff can look to any aspect of college athletics and find women who are holding those jobs as a role model and proof that if you're willing to put in that work, that you too can achieve the opportunity to serve in that role."
Title IX is part of the Education Amendments of 1972 and was signed into law June 23. It states, "No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance."
Penn State Athletics' is launching a year-long celebration to honor the contributions and accomplishments of Penn State's female student-athletes, alumni, coaches and staff. Among the highlights will be a WE L.E.A.D. (Women's Empowerment through Leadership, Education, Altruism and Development) series, which kicks off with a video from Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Sandy Barbour. In addition, Penn State Athletics and the All Sports Museum will partner on programming and exhibits throughout the year. Internally, ICA will host community conversations on a variety of topics associated with Title IX and relevant themes.
With a deep history of club and intramural programs, Penn State provided opportunities for women in sports long before Title IX was enacted. Believing athletics were an integral part of the educational experience, President Eric Walker and the trustees decided in 1964, eight years before Title IX, to transition the established and popular female club and intramural sports to varsity sports. Field hockey was the first women's sport to take the stage with a 2-0 win over Susquehanna on Oct. 3, 1964 in Beaver Stadium, followed closely by competition for golf, basketball, fencing, gymnastics, lacrosse, rifle, softball and tennis programs.
