The William & Mary Athletics Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) recently garnered the university's Values in Action Award, which recognizes student organizations, faculty and staff who demonstrate the university's values of belonging, curiosity, excellence, flourishing, integrity, respect and service.
 
SAAC exemplified the value of belonging through its You Belong Campaign led by Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) Chair and volleyball player Sydney Taylor.

You Belong was created to demonstrate the universal inclusivity William & Mary athletics is striving for. It kicked off in October 2021 with an interactive poster in a high-traffic area of Kaplan Arena, where student athletes were encouraged to post sticky notes of what belonging looks like to them. It was covered in notes in a matter of days.

Another element of the campaign was a series of interviews Taylor and the D&I Committee did with student athletes, coaches and athletics department staff from underrepresented groups to give a platform to D&I issues not typically discussed in athletics.

Finally, SAAC partnered with the women's lacrosse team to host a You Belong Game on March 22, where the Black national anthem was played before the game and You Belong merchandise was sold to benefit D&I-focused charities.

In addition to SAAC, honorees from student organizations included the Latin American Student Union, Matoaka Bottom Feeders, Society of Women in Computing and the Veggie Society.

Faculty and staff award recipients were Isaiah Johnson, an officer with the William & Mary Police Department, and Christian Olver, a member of the Dining Services/Sodexo staff. They were selected from a pool of nominees including professors, administrators and other employees representing departments, schools and units across the university.

Individuals will receive $2,500 each and student organizations $500 each.