NEW YORK – The Georgetown University athletic department has been selected as the winner of the inaugural John Thompson Jr. Award, which was established by the BIG EAST Conference in 2020 to recognize significant efforts to fight prejudice and discrimination and advance positive societal change. Today’s announcement on September 2 comes on what would have been Thompson’s 80th birthday.
A selection committee made up of members of the BIG EAST Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Working Group and a representative of the Thompson family selected the winning nomination. For the inaugural award, which considered efforts undertaken during the 2020-21 academic year, a total of ten nominations were submitted.