What is the Bernie Bickerstaff Diversity and Inclusion Fund?
The Bernie Bickerstaff Diversity and Inclusion Fund was established in the Summer of 2020 and named in honor of USD's first Black head coach and Torero Legend. Any gift amount to this fund will contribute to programming and educational resources for our scholar-athletes. The fund will also support a broad spectrum of diversity initiatives in the athletic department that will enable us to better support our underrepresented scholar-athletes and to effect positive change in our community. We are called at USD to be the Changemakers who confront humanity's urgent challenges and this powerful new fundraising initiative will do just that.
This powerful initiative will change lives
As part of our core value in Championing a Culture of Diversity and Inclusion, USD Athletics formed the new Bernie Bickerstaff Diversity and Inclusion Fund in the summer of 2020 to directly support programming and educational resources for Torero scholar-athletes
Named in honor of one of the greatest Toreros of all-time, the fund provides holistic support, education, leadership and advocacy training for Torero scholar-athletes, coaches and staff while also celebrating and empowering the USD Athletics community
In the legacy of Bickerstaff - USD's first Black head coach, a former team captain and player, and a USD and WCC Hall of Famer - supporters of this fund will ensure Torero scholar-athletes can effect positive change in our community