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Winston-Salem Dash

Diversity Initiative on Display During All-Star Game

June 26, 2012 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Winston-Salem Dash News Release


WINSTON-SALEM, NC (JUNE 26, 2012) - On Monday, June 18, Minor League Baseball President Pat O'Conner spoke to a group of 25 students at Winston-Salem State University as a part of MiLB's Diversity Initiative to create experiences in baseball for all members of the diverse communities where Minor League Baseball is played.

The Minor League Baseball Diversity Initiative strives to promote baseball across all of its communities by maintaining and developing an inclusive environment that provides chances for fans, students and young professionals to work in baseball. This environment is strengthened by grass roots programs focused on education and leadership.

President O'Conner developed a speakers' series at Historically Black Colleges and Universities to educate youth on the opportunities in Minor League Baseball. His speech at Winston-Salem State University touched on the partnership the Winston-Salem Dash have formed with the university to give students hands-on experience in a professional baseball setting.

"Diversity within Minor League Baseball is critically important to our long-term success and prosperity. The Winston-Salem Dash has been a leader in reaching out to its community in an effort to implement our strategic plan," Minor League Baseball President Pat O'Conner said. "Winston-Salem State University continues to provide its students outstanding opportunities by engaging the Dash in numerous ventures. This relationship is a prime example of what can be accomplished with vision, energy and a creative spirit."

Winston-Salem State students also work with the Dash in an internship capacity to learn in a professional, working environment how a minor league baseball team operates. Over the course of a summer, the students assist in all aspects of the Dash front office operations.

"We are extremely proud of the continually expanding benefits and opportunities for Winston-Salem State University," Dash team president Geoff Lassiter said. "These students have been an integral part of our operation and have even gone on to get hired full-time with the company. It was an honor for Pat O'Conner to speak with them about the benefits of working in minor league baseball."

The Dash have worked with Winston-Salem State since moving into BB&T Ballpark. In 2011, WSSU fielded a baseball program for the first time in 36 years. The inaugural season featured 10 games at BB&T Ballpark, where the Dash assisted the Winston-Salem State Sports Marketing Department in operating all aspects of each game.

The Winston-Salem Dash are the Class-A Advanced minor league affiliate of the Chicago White Sox. To purchase tickets and for more information, please call 336-714-2287 or visit www.wsdash.com .

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