Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – Virginia Tech's Aaron Rouse and Aisha Sheppard have been selected as recipients of the 2024 Atlantic Coast Conference UNITE Award, which was created to honor individuals affiliated with the league who have made an impact in the areas of racial and social justice. The announcement was made Wednesday by the conference office.
The UNITE Award is an initiative of the ACC's Committee for Racial and Social Justice (CORE - Champions of Racial Equity) and was developed and approved by its 15 member institutions.
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
Each school selects its two recipients based on the above criteria and can choose to celebrate their selections at campus events throughout the academic year.
Sheppard graduated as the Hokies’ all-time leading scorer in 2022 and still owns the ACC Women’s basketball record for career threes made. She was selected 23rd overall by the Las Vegas Aces in the 2022 WNBA Draft and was a part of the Aces' 2023 championship team.
When the murder of George Floyd made national headlines in May 2020, it hit closer to home for her who was second cousins with Floyd.
In the wake of Floyd's death, Sheppard used her platform as a student-athlete to shed light on racial and social injustices. She marched alongside her mother in Washington, D.C. to take a stand against racism and police violence and was a vocal leader on and off the court. When Virginia Tech Athletics launched the #LOVE campaign during the 2020-21 season to encourage love, unity, and equality, Sheppard shared her personal experiences about activism, inequality, and the power of the student-athlete voice.
Sheppard sees basketball as a platform to support her community and their struggles. In a 2020 LadySwish article, Sheppard said, “The biggest thing I would like to see happen is for our elected officials to hear what other people have to say, and not only hear it, but to listen intently to what we’re saying. And then figure out why there’s such a big gap between certain ethnicities and others when it comes to things like poverty and social injustice. I just want them to understand where we’re coming from, and that we’re not devaluing any other lives. We’re just saying that ours at the moment aren’t as valued as other people’s.”
Sheppard's impact extends beyond the basketball court. She is committed to uplifting her community and actively engages in organizing youth basketball camps. In 2023, she launched the Aisha Sheppard Mentorship Program, a mentorship training program designed to elevate the next generation of basketball athletes.
A former football safety for Virginia Tech, Rouse graduated with a degree in sociology in 2007. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the 2007 NFL Draft and also played for the New York Giants and Arizona Cardinals. After retiring from the NFL, Rouse returned home to Virginia Beach to begin his career in public service. He served as a coach and a mentor before he founded Rouse’s House, a non-profit organization that promotes education and provides resources for low-income students in Hampton Roads public schools.
In 2018, Rouse was elected to the Virginia Beach City Council, where he served one term. After ending his bid for mayor during the early stage of the 2020 coronavirus pandemic, Rouse announced in the spring of 2022 that he would run for the Virginia State Senate in the 2023 election. Rouse currently represents Virginia’s 22nd District in the Senate and is currently running to be the Democratic nominee for Lieutenant Governor of Virginia.
As a senator, Rouse's platform focuses on creating new economic opportunities and building an economy that works for every family, including attracting new jobs to the region, increasing funding for affordable housing, and reducing health care costs. Rouse has proudly partnered with the Department of Justice and Virginia Beach Police Department to deepen levels of community trust and provide residents with new and improved safe spaces in their neighborhoods.