NASHVILLE, Tenn. – A founder and co-president of the Black Student-Athlete Group (BSAG) at Vanderbilt, senior Taiya Shelby of track and field has been recognized for her impact on the university and the community by being named to the SEC Track and Field Community Service Team, as announced by the conference Thursday.
In her role with BSAG, Shelby works to provide a formal support system for Black student-athletes, creating a safe and comfortable environment for them to meet and address racial inequalities within the athletic department. They also host community building initiatives and help to develop racially sensitive dialogue while providing thoughtful leadership that is not only inclusive and transparent, but empowering, and supports the organization’s mission.
Aside from her work with BSAG, Shelby was also a team captain for the annual Dancing Dores this year, Vanderbilt’s Dance Marathon initiative. In her position with Dance Marathon, Shelby developed the first fundraising partnership between a Division I athletic program and the collegiate charity, working to raise awareness for Monroe Carrell Jr. Children’s Hospital. Her dedication raised over $40,000 for youth hospital patients.
She also participated in WomenX, a Women in Sports Fellowship where she and others explored themes including gender discrimination, inequity and lack of access and/or opportunity for female athletes in collegiate sport. Shelby was selected out of over 400 applicants to work on a case study with five other individuals, owning a distinct aspect of a monthly project with the Make a Play Foundation. Throughout her fellowship, she maintained a portfolio of complex initiatives with her team to consult with various minority-led startups within a calendar year. There she helped analyze their business challenges through systemic problem-solving frameworks.
Shelby will be competing on the national stage for Vanderbilt at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Oregon, on June 8-11 in both the 400-meter dash and the 4×400-meter relay.