North Carolina State University Athletics
Two NC State Athletics Alumni Honored as Recipients of ACC UNITE Award
10/18/2023 3:15:00 PM | Pack Athletics, Track, Swimming
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A pair of former NC State athletes and university alumni, Chavonda Jacobs-Young and Cullen Jones, have been named recipients of the Atlantic Coast Conference UNITE Award, as announced by the league office on Oct. 18.
The UNITE Award is an initiative of the ACC's Committee for Racial and and Social Justice (CORE - Champions of Racial Equity) and recognizes individuals affiliated with the ACC who have made an impact in the areas of racial and social justice.
The UNITE Award is presented annually to individuals who:
- Best exemplify ACC CORE's mission to promote and encourage racial equity and social justice through education, partnerships, engagement and advocacy;
- Have helped create meaningful, lasting change by improving systems, organizational structures, policies, practices and attitudes;
- Have been a pioneer and/or helped pave the way for minorities either at the institution or in the community
Dr. Chavonda Jacobs-Young (Track & Field)
Jacobs-Young was a member of the Wolfpack women's track and field program from 1985 to 1989. During her collegiate career, she was a three-time ACC champion in the high jump.
Jacobs-Young earned her undergraduate degree from NC State and went on to also complete a Ph.D. in paper science at the university, becoming the first Black woman in the nation to earn such a degree.
After serving on faculty at the University of Washington from 1995 to 2002, Jacobs-Young was approached about joining the federal government and eventually became a senior policy analyst for agriculture in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. She has held multiple administration roles in the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), most notably serving as the first woman and person of color to lead the Agriculture Research Service.
Passionate about representing and promoting women and people of color in the STEM field (science, technology engineering, math), she was included in the #IfThenSheCan exhibit that was stationed around the National Mall in March of 2022. The exhibit featured a life-size statue of her and celebrated her accomplishments as a woman in STEM. Jacobs-Young also served as an ambassador for the American Association of the Advancement of Science's If/Then program and was actively engaged in outreach to attract middle school girls to the STEM profession.
Cullen Jones (Swimming & Diving)
Jones was a member of the NC State men's swimming and diving team from 2003 to 2006 and represented the Pack and the ACC on the highest collegiate stage by winning the 2006 NCAA title in the 50-yard freestyle. A multi-time ACC title winner and the 2006 ACC Swimmer of the Year, Jones went on to win multiple Olympic gold medals for Team USA, most notably becoming the first Black swimmer in history to hold a world record with his legendary win in the 4x100-meter freestyle relay in 2008.
After nearly drowning at the age of five before his parents signed him up for swimming lessons, Jones has worked passionately to inspire other swimmers of color. He took that passion into action by helping found Make A Splash alongside USA Swimming, with the program aiming to teach children in disadvantaged communities how to swim and promoting water safety on a national level through clinics and other opportunities. Jones began his involvement with Make A Splash nearly 15 years ago and has since played a valuable role in education about low to no-cost swim lessons in communities across the country and promoting an online giving program to help fund swim lessons for children in need.
Jones also continues to help close the swimming gap through The Black Leadership in Aquatics Coalition (also called Team BLAC), a national advisory board that was launched by USA Swimming's diversity, equity and inclusion group. Through his involvement with Team BLAC, he has provided guidance to the USA Swimming staff and leadership team in addition to starting up a mentor-mentee experience for diverse swimmers in middle and high school.
