Hamilton, Ont. - Marauders Sefa Otchere and Keenan Jeppesen were presented with a pair of awards last week at McMaster's Black Excellence Graduation Celebration. Hosted by the Black Student Success Centre, the second annual ceremony commemorated the remarkable achievements of its Class of 2023.
Otchere, an economics major from Niagara Falls, Ont. and current member of the Marauder men's basketball team, was presented the BSSC Legacy Award given to a student-athlete who has made a positive contribution to their campus community.
"I feel incredibly honoured to have been acknowledged for my contributions to the Black student-athlete community" said Otchere. "I hope to continue inspiring, encouraging, and supporting black student-athletes to make a change, speak out within their communities, and start understanding we are more than just athletes."
Otchere's work as co-president of the Black Student Athlete Council (BSAC) as well as his leadership efforts in planning departmental Black History month events have made a significant impact on the Black student-athlete community at McMaster. Otchere's reach is felt off-campus too, where he continues to advocate for up and coming Black athletes through support of the Steeltown Athletic Club, an inclusive and diverse organization offering sports opportunities for youths in the heart of Hamilton.
Otchere says that the founding of the Black Student-Athlete Council had a significant impact on him as a Black student-athlete, noting that it provided him and his peers with a platform to address unique challenges as well as shaping initiatives and advocacy while encouraging community development and empowerment.
"As co-president, it was crucial for me to get engaged because I wanted to keep nurturing and creating a community where black student-athletes and non-athletes collaborate to enhance the black student experience at McMaster" added Otchere. "I was able to move closer to that goal through the BHM games and events that I collaborated on with a few black MSU organizations, such as BlackSpace and MacAfricans as well as the BSSC."
Jeppesen, an MBA graduate from the DeGroote School of Business and former men's basketball student-athlete, was a co-recipient of the Alumni Recognition Award, alongside Sarah Alizerig. Since returning to McMaster in 2022 to serve as the Associate Director of High Performance, Jeppesen has continued to champion equity, diversity and inclusion initiatives and has ensured continuity of the work that was begun as part of the systemic review of anti-Black racism response.
"The Black graduation has been one of my favorite events each year," said Jeppesen. "It was an honour to be recognized, but much more rewarding to watch our very own student-athletes cross the stage at an event that means so much to Black students and their families."
Jeppesen is also raising the profile of EDI across Ontario through his work as Chair of the OUA EDI committee, a group providing oversight on issues of equity, diversity, and inclusion within Ontario University Athletics and its member institutions.
Otchere echoed Jeppesen's sentiment that the creation of a Black graduation ceremony is a great event for Black students and their families.
"It was very meaningful for me to join friends, family, and other black students in celebrating academic success at the Black Excellence Graduation celebration… "That day, I was genuinely inspired by everyone around me to continue to do my part in the community, however big or small it is."
More than 80 students, including a number of Marauder student-athletes, crossed the stage and received Kente stoles during the ceremony. The storied fabric, worn on special occasions and historically associated with royalty, is an essential part of graduation, and being gifted one by a community leader also symbolizes the passing of knowledge.
"It's great to see Sefa and Keenan recognized in such a special and meaningful way" said Shawn Burt, Director of Athletics & Recreation. "On behalf of the entire department, I'd like to congratulate Sefa and Keenan on receiving these very worthy achievements."
