Varnum and Norris Participate in Athlete Ally Athlete Activism Summit
Jun 23 | Women's Swimming & Diving, Women's Track & Field
PISCATAWAY, N.J. – As part of Scarlet Knights For Life's mission of experiential learning trips, a duo of Rutgers student-athletes attended the 2026 Athlete Ally Athlete Activism Summit. Olivia Norris of the Women's Track & Field program and Madilyn Varnum of Women's Swimming & Diving attended the four-day gathering in early June in the Pocono Mountains, joining college student-athletes, coaches, and administrators from across the country.
The event was hosted by Athlete Ally, a nonprofit organization whose aims are dedicated to ensuring that every person has equal access, opportunity, and experience in sports regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. The Athlete Activism Summit brought together emerging leaders to build community, deepen knowledge, and commit to tangible actions that expand inclusion, allyship, and belonging on their campuses. Through workshops, keynote sessions, and interactive panel discussions, participants were equipped with the tools and leadership skills necessary to drive meaningful change within their athletic programs.
The Summit was set in a camp environment and offered a host of programming sessions as well as community building activities while engaging with peers from across different sports and schools. For Varnum, a native of Davidson, N.C., who just completed her sophomore season as a Scarlet Knight diver, the summit was a truly an empowering weekend of connection and conversation.
"Going into the Athlete Ally Athlete Activism Summit, I expected it to be a valuable networking experience at which I would build connections with other student athletes around the country. I did not, however, anticipate that it would end up being one of the most enjoyable weekends of my life or that I would come home with so many genuine friends. The sense of community that the summit fostered was truly special," Varnum explained. It is difficult to connect with other queer athletes at a school as large as Rutgers, so being able to be surrounded by so many people that share the experience of being an athlete in the LGBTQ+ community was incredible. We had conversations during each workshop and panel that, on the surface, seemed like they would be tough topics. But, thanks to the safe space that Athlete Ally created, all of us knew that we could speak freely and be vulnerable without judgment."
Olivia Norris, who competes in javelin for the Scarlet Knights, attended the summit after her senior season as a collegian. The Fisher, Ind. native enjoyed her experience and also took away many important ideas to bring back to enrich her experience on campus.
"I had an amazing time at the Athlete Activism Summit, where I got to meet so many student athletes and form community with them," Norris said. "I learned so much about activism and allyship for the LGBTQ+ community, which is incredibly important in today's world. In addition to these learning experiences, it was very fun to spend time in the Poconos where we got to engage in a lot of camping activities like hiking and archery with other student-athletes and get to connect with them. Madi and I met a lot of great student athletes who we look to stay connected with for a long time. Overall, I had such a transforming and unforgettable time and I look forward to potentially attending again soon!"
After leaving the summit, the student-athletes identified a number of core tenants from her time there that she is eager to bring back to her upcoming years 'On the Banks.' The Rutgers' duo learned from Athlete Ally staff and event co-hosts how they can help bring forward LGBTQ+ inclusion in and through sport through education and athlete activism to help create a collective impact.
"The unconditional acceptance demonstrated by everyone at the summit is something that really stuck with me and is something that I want to cultivate within Rutgers Athletics and the broader student community," Varnum declared. "I learned a lot in speaking with athletes from so many different schools, sports, and states that broadened my perspective and made me realize just how important the work of Athlete Ally is. I left the summit feeling very inspired, and motivated to take what I have learned and implement it at Rutgers, ideally through the establishment of an Athlete Ally chapter. The Athlete Activism Summit showed me that it is possible to build a community within athletics that supports queer athletes and allows each of us to be authentically ourselves while excelling at sport, and I believe every athlete at every level deserves to feel that same sense of belonging and support within their sport."
"The panels and workshops were great to attend, Norris said. "It inspired me with several ideas to bring back to campus to create an inclusive and welcoming space for LGBTQ+ student athletes. I even was able to network with other student athletes about their own ways they work to create these spaces at their own universities, which I also aim to bring back to Rutgers as well."
Gallery: (6-23-2026) Athlete Ally Activism Summit
The event was hosted by Athlete Ally, a nonprofit organization whose aims are dedicated to ensuring that every person has equal access, opportunity, and experience in sports regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. The Athlete Activism Summit brought together emerging leaders to build community, deepen knowledge, and commit to tangible actions that expand inclusion, allyship, and belonging on their campuses. Through workshops, keynote sessions, and interactive panel discussions, participants were equipped with the tools and leadership skills necessary to drive meaningful change within their athletic programs.
The Summit was set in a camp environment and offered a host of programming sessions as well as community building activities while engaging with peers from across different sports and schools. For Varnum, a native of Davidson, N.C., who just completed her sophomore season as a Scarlet Knight diver, the summit was a truly an empowering weekend of connection and conversation.
"Going into the Athlete Ally Athlete Activism Summit, I expected it to be a valuable networking experience at which I would build connections with other student athletes around the country. I did not, however, anticipate that it would end up being one of the most enjoyable weekends of my life or that I would come home with so many genuine friends. The sense of community that the summit fostered was truly special," Varnum explained. It is difficult to connect with other queer athletes at a school as large as Rutgers, so being able to be surrounded by so many people that share the experience of being an athlete in the LGBTQ+ community was incredible. We had conversations during each workshop and panel that, on the surface, seemed like they would be tough topics. But, thanks to the safe space that Athlete Ally created, all of us knew that we could speak freely and be vulnerable without judgment."
Olivia Norris, who competes in javelin for the Scarlet Knights, attended the summit after her senior season as a collegian. The Fisher, Ind. native enjoyed her experience and also took away many important ideas to bring back to enrich her experience on campus.
"I had an amazing time at the Athlete Activism Summit, where I got to meet so many student athletes and form community with them," Norris said. "I learned so much about activism and allyship for the LGBTQ+ community, which is incredibly important in today's world. In addition to these learning experiences, it was very fun to spend time in the Poconos where we got to engage in a lot of camping activities like hiking and archery with other student-athletes and get to connect with them. Madi and I met a lot of great student athletes who we look to stay connected with for a long time. Overall, I had such a transforming and unforgettable time and I look forward to potentially attending again soon!"
After leaving the summit, the student-athletes identified a number of core tenants from her time there that she is eager to bring back to her upcoming years 'On the Banks.' The Rutgers' duo learned from Athlete Ally staff and event co-hosts how they can help bring forward LGBTQ+ inclusion in and through sport through education and athlete activism to help create a collective impact.
"The unconditional acceptance demonstrated by everyone at the summit is something that really stuck with me and is something that I want to cultivate within Rutgers Athletics and the broader student community," Varnum declared. "I learned a lot in speaking with athletes from so many different schools, sports, and states that broadened my perspective and made me realize just how important the work of Athlete Ally is. I left the summit feeling very inspired, and motivated to take what I have learned and implement it at Rutgers, ideally through the establishment of an Athlete Ally chapter. The Athlete Activism Summit showed me that it is possible to build a community within athletics that supports queer athletes and allows each of us to be authentically ourselves while excelling at sport, and I believe every athlete at every level deserves to feel that same sense of belonging and support within their sport."
"The panels and workshops were great to attend, Norris said. "It inspired me with several ideas to bring back to campus to create an inclusive and welcoming space for LGBTQ+ student athletes. I even was able to network with other student athletes about their own ways they work to create these spaces at their own universities, which I also aim to bring back to Rutgers as well."
Players Mentioned
Diving
/ Women's Swimming & DivingMonday, June 15
Monday, October 06
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Thursday, December 19
