Central College is helping recognize “Division III Week” through April 9th.

The annual recognition is part of the NCAA Division III identity initiative which seeks to raise the public profile of Division III institutions as places where student-athletes can follow their passions and develop their potential.

To commemorate the week, Central’s Student-Athlete Advisory Council is sponsoring a toiletry drive for the Young Women’s Resource Center in Des Moines. Donated items will be accepted at the check-in desk of the Schipper Fitness Center throughout the week. Donations will also be collected at Central’s home baseball games on Saturday.

Central’s Division III ties are vast, as Retired Central president Kenneth J. Weller authored the first Division III philosophy statement, which advocated that the focus of intercollegiate athletics should be on benefits for the participant rather than the spectator, and that student-athletes be treated no differently than students involved in other co-curricular activities. He was called a “founding father” of Division III by The Intercollegiate Athletic Forum in 1996. Division III stages championships in 28 sports. Central offers 19.