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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 7, 2024)
February 07, 2024 Page 5 BLACK HISTORY MONTH 2024 A Dream Job Coming to Life! PL ANNING TO VISIT MULTNOMAH FALLS? Prepare for Historic Highway construction in 2024 Try something new and leave the driving to RideCATbus.org LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR GORGE PROJECTS AT i84GorgeConstruction.org Discover Jay Darden Building a Program from Scratch By Bill Sheehan Jay Darden was born and raised in Portland, Oregon, so it's fitting he's become a trail- blazer. Hired in May as the Cal State Fullerton Athletic Depart- ment's inaugural assistant athlet- ic director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Darden has been giv- en a free hand to develop a pro- gram that will serve the sports administrators, coaches and stu- dent-athletes. He is believed to be one of the nation's first DEI directors dedicated solely to in- tercollegiate athletics. With no templates to guide him, Darden is truly building the program from scratch. "I'll be honest. Every day has been a challenge. But this is also a great opportunity," said Darden, who was a three-year starting cor- nerback for Division 2 Western Oregon University. "I can lay the groundwork and say that I creat- ed a DEI program at a Division 1 school. Darden, whose full name is Jeff Darden II, arrived at Ful- lerton after a 26-month stint as a senior academic advisor at Cal State San Marcos. He has spent the summer meeting with Titan administrators and coaches and learning the ins and outs of cam- pus life. He formed a DEI commit- tee to assist him. The commit- tee held a Zoom meeting this month to discuss the establish- ment of best practices, mission goals and principles as well as setting up measured outcomes. The panel also discussed launch- ing activities such as having guest speakers, panel discus- sions and student mixers where student-athletes from across Titan Athletics could exchange thoughts and ideas. Darden also plans to hold training sessions three times a semester for coaches and ath- letics staff members. "We re- ally want to do everything in a meaningful way," said Darden. "Students today are much more comfortable voicing their opin- ions. Parents and coaches are encouraging students to speak out more, especially when it concerns their mental health. We want to decrease any sense of isolation that might exist among student-athletes." Darden's father, Jeff, said his son's life experiences give him an enhanced perspective on what a DEI job is all about. "Jay is very much a people person who is humorous and very easy to get along with. He has a deep pas- sion for athletics as well as help- ing athletes to ensure they have the academic background they need for post-school jobs." Darden's life journey has had many twists and turns. Born to teen-age parents, Darden and his three younger siblings – two sis- ters and a brother -- were primar- ily raised by their father Jeff and their paternal grandmother Lu- cinda Baldwin. "My father was in the Army, and I lived in Ha- waii for two years as a kid before we moved to Portland," he said. Darden hopes his experience as a DEI director will be step toward his longtime goal of be- coming a college athletic direc- tor. "Right now, I'm focused on DEI. But if I work hard, there might be an opening in the AD lane for me down the line." Joy Njenga’s Remarkable Journey at MHCC FACES OF OUR STRATEGIC PLAN From watching her brother’s struggle at birth to becoming a nursing inspiration—Joy’s story will move you. Join us in celebrating the tenacity and ambition of one of our amazing students. Check out this uplifting read. Read her incredible journey at bit.ly/joynjenga MHCC is an EEO, Title IX, Title VI, Title VII, Title II, Section 504, ADA, ORS 659A Institution.
