Because of Title IX: Katie Hoffman

Sr. Director of Strategic Partnerships, Women Leaders in College Sports

Finish this sentence: “Because of Title IX…”

I have a second family, my Husker teammates.

How have athletic and academic opportunities afforded to you because of Title IX impacted your life? Can you imagine your life without them?

When I graduated law school, my grandma said “I’m so envious of the options you have and so proud of you for taking them." It hit me then that she, and even my mother, didn’t have the choice to go to law school. In my grandma’s case, she didn’t even have the choice to go to college—it just wasn’t what females in her area in her age group did. Instead, they got married and supported their families. Because of Title IX, there wasn’t a question of whether I would go to college, and it didn’t cross my mind ever that I couldn’t go on to get an advanced degree.

Tell us about a woman who championed you in pursuing your goals. How did her influence inspire or affect you and your career?

So many popped into my mind – I was so fortunate in my early education to have intelligent and strong women who let me be me and pushed me to my best. But ultimately, it was my mom. She was the only girl in her family and as such, was expected to do “female chores” so while her brothers were on the farm with the animals, outside running around, she was inside doing the inside chores. She made it a point to make sure my sister and I were not only active, but were never told we couldn’t/shouldn’t do something because we were girls.

How are you continuing to champion the next generation of women and girls in sports, and raise awareness on the importance Title IX?

In small ways. There is this habit of telling little girls how pretty they are—instead, I ask what they like to do. If it's sports, what sports do you do, what do you like about it? If it's reading, what books do you read? Title IX isn’t just about sports; it’s about opportunity and feeling like you can do anything. No matter what that is, they should feel empowered to do so.

If you could send an empowering tweet to every woman and girl across the country, what would you send?

Be you. Don’t let anyone tell you or make you feel like you need to do a certain thing, or be a certain way. Title IX is about empowering you.

See all our #BecauseofTitleIX stories here! »
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