Beginning this semester, women’s soccer head coach Emily Marcouillier has been named Spring Hill College’s new Title IX Coordinator. This position will allow Marcouiller to assist and protect students and student athletes alike, on the grounds of sex-based discrimination.
The Title IX Coordinator position is new to our faculty and staff list this Fall, and is under the authority of the NCAA. As said by Coach Marcouiller, “ Title IX gives students a safe space to come base their frustrations or feelings of discrimination based on gender, or anything of that nature.” This recourse is meant to give students and staff the ability to change the narrative of how we treat one another and to move our campus toward more inclusive involvement throughout athletics and education.
According to the National Collegiate Athletic Association, Title IX is the landmark gender equity law that prohibits sex based discrimination in federally funded educational programs and athletics. The law states that no person should be excluded, or denied access to benefits offered by these programs. So this means that if you as a student feel this way or feels as though you are being discriminated against, you can contact Emily Marcouillier for assistance in tackling this issue.
Events and educational presentations are scheduled to take place this Fall and throughout the rest of the academic year. Learning opportunities such as the Neurobiology of Trauma, presentations on fight or flight modes, and noticing red flags are all topics being discussed and headed by Marcouiller in the Title IX position. Coming up this October, Domestic Violence Awareness month is taking place and will be the biggest concern for Emily and her new position. Various events will be held to make students aware of dating violence and assault, as well as a candle light visual in honor of assault victims. According to student athlete Hannah Linss, “ Our coach has got some pretty great things lined up this year, I really think everyone should take advantage of the learning opportunities she is providing.”
Using this position as a way to bring awareness to sex discrimination and issues outside of the classroom and athletic realm is something Marcouiller is striving to do. While speaking to her she said, “ I am very excited to have been chosen for this opportunity, I love being involved and helping students in any way possible. There is no judgement here whatsoever, stop by whenever you need something or just want to talk.”
Emily Marcouiller is excited and ready to get things started with this new job title. In addition to her head coaching job, she plans to use her knowledge and experience of assisting her students on the team as a way to help others. If you have any questions or want more information about Title IX and the resources it has to offer, you can contact emarcouiller@shc.edu.