Hokie ClubAs part of Virginia Tech Athletics' celebration of Black History Month, the department will be sharing compelling stories of its staff and their amazing accomplishments throughout the month. We are reminded in this series that athletics serves as a great equalizer and provides an aspirational narrative and opportunity for all. We open the series with Senior Associate Athletics Director for Inclusive Excellence and Alumni Engagement, Reyna Gilbert-Lowry.
Reyna Gilbert-Lowry first joined staff with Virginia Tech Athletics in 2008 as the Assistant Athletics Director for Student Life and now, in 2023, she serves as Senior Associate Athletics Director for Inclusive Excellence and Alumni Engagement.
Gilbert-Lowry was a gymnast at Northern Illinois University, and as a former student-athlete with mentors who invested in her both in and out of sports, she became passionate about making other student-athletes feel seen. But she wasn't sure how she would do that coming out of college.
"For gymnasts, you really either go into the Olympics or you're going to college, and after college, your time is up," Gilbert-Lowry said. "It took me time to figure out, 'What am I going to do? And could I have a job where I can help college athletes the way that those people helped me?'"
When Gilbert-Lowry first came to the university, she developed programs geared toward helping student athletes grow personally and professionally. And now, she jumpstarts diversity and inclusion initiatives while also heading the Monogram Club, where she helps former student-athletes remain connected to the university.
Gilbert-Lowry's ability to connect well with people from all backgrounds has served her well in this role. However, she still recognizes the divide in diversity and desires to see more inclusion everywhere.
"In the last few years, there's definitely been a push for diversity and inclusion, and that's been, unfortunately, a result of some negative things that have been highlighted with regards to racial injustices," Gilbert-Lowry said. "I hope that this is not just seen as a trend at Virginia Tech or our conference, but that it nationally continues to be at the forefront."
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In graduate school, Gilbert-Lowry specifically remembers, "meeting people who the first black person they ever met was when they went to college." She and her parents have also been the only black family in their neighborhood since she was 12 years old.
So, over time, she became used to being the only person who looked like her.
Gilbert-Lowry recognizes that her parents gave her opportunities and put her in situations where she could thrive, but that didn't mean that she would always be in situations where people look like her.
"I guess I would say that it's not something I think about," Gilbert-Lowry said. "Consciously, I step into a room and think, 'Well, I'm the only one here.' But, at the same time, I have to remind myself that I'm supposed to be here."
Gilbert-Lowry expressed that she wants to create a safe place where people from all backgrounds can learn, ask questions and be okay with not having all the answers.
She hopes to help everyone feel like they have a responsibility to create safe spaces and where both students and employees can freely express themselves.
And that starts from within.
"We need to be intentional when we are making hiring decisions," Gilbert-Lowry said. "Who are the people that we're picking up the phone to call to say we have an opportunity? Who are the people that are in our network? What does that look like? Do they all look the same? Are they the same people that we're calling for all the jobs or are we trying to call other people that have more diverse networks to say, 'Hey, we have an opportunity. Do you have someone in your network that you recommend for this?'"
And when it comes to the articles highlighting black faculty/staff during the month of February, Gilbert-Lowry hopes that everyone would know that Virginia Tech Athletics is proud of the people that make up the department, and that the diversity initiatives outlive one month.
"It's not just Black History Month for 2023," Gilbert-Lowry said. "It's Asian American and Pacific Islander heritage month, which we celebrate in May at Virginia Tech. It's pride month in June. It's just one aspect of how we're promoting diversity and inclusion in the department."