CU-Lock Haven celebrates 50th anniversary of Title IX, alumna Karen Weaver featured speaker

On Thursday, April 21, Lock Haven University celebrated the 50th anniversary of Title IX with a presentation in the Price Performance Center Auditorium that featured guest speaker and alumna, Dr. Karen Weaver.

During the presentation, which was attended by many LHU student-athletes, Weaver shared practical ideas and advice on how to help champion Title IX efforts now and in the future.

Weaver encouraged the students to become more inclusive by broadening their horizons and to invest in women's sports in their local communities.

"Dr. Weaver provided words of inspiration and encouragement regarding the accomplishments over the first 50 years of Title IX and the challenges and opportunities for all of us to focus on in order to make a difference in the next 50 years of Title IX," said Albert Jones, chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer. "Her personal story and experiences resonated with the LHU community in such a positive manner. Her challenge to the students, faculty and staff was to think differently in identifying and incorporating innovative ways to be difference makers in the world. This is the spark that will help ignite a movement for positive change at LHU."

"I am confident that the passion, knowledge and guidance shared by Dr. Karen Weaver during our Title IX 50th Anniversary Celebration will have an impactful ripple effect that will be discussed while celebrating Title IX's 100th anniversary," said Anna Rogers, LHU assistant field hockey coach. "It was an honor to host someone of Dr. Weaver's stature, not only as our esteemed guest, but as an alumna returning to The Haven to give back to a university that she holds so close to her heart. We appreciate her time with us and hope she can come back to visit with us again soon."

Both Jones and Rogers helped coordinate the event and celebration.

Weaver graduated from LHU in 1980 and is a former standout field hockey player at The Haven. She is also a former Division I and Division III head coach and athletics administrator, who is considered an expert on college sports as they intersect with higher education management, media and policy, as well as Title IX.

Weaver has been breaking new ground all of her career, whether it be as one of the first to earn a field hockey scholarship under Title IX, to working as the first English speaking female broadcasting announcer in field hockey at the 1996 Olympic Games and for the Big Ten Network. She has consistently used her experiences at Lock Haven University to elevate others.

Currently an adjunct assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvania, Weaver examines college athletics from the perspectives of university presidents and trustees, athletic conference organization, higher education scholars and sports finance. Her research includes mid majors and FBS Division I institutions, public finance and facility debt policies and the role that college senior leaders can and should play in managing athletics.

Weaver has been a part of Penn GSE since 2007, when she began her doctoral studies in higher education management. After graduation, she left a more than 30-year career in college athletics to join the faculty at Drexel University. She began teaching at Penn GSE in 2012 and joined as an adjunct assistant professor in 2020.

Weaver is a regular contributor to Forbes.com and an executive producer and host of the podcast "Trustees and Presidents." She has led a research team on behalf of the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics on athletics governance and has published more than 50 articles.

Her full University of Pennsylvania bio can be viewed at www.gse.upenn.edu/academics/faculty-directory/weaver.

 

KAREN WEAVER WITH THE LHU FIELD HOCKEY TEAM.