LOS ANGELES — A life spent on the basketball court has given way to a summer spent in front of the computer for Dr. Julie Rousseau. “My day literally begins at 5:30 a.m. and ends about 11 p.m.,” she said with a laugh.

It's a grueling schedule that is no longer one of an athlete, nor of a coach, but instead of an educator whose motivating factor for the long days has always been inspiring the younger generation.

What You Need To Know

  • In June, several USC student athletes came together to form the United Black Student Athletes Association

  • The group called on the university to address issues of social injustice on campus and in their community and to take decisive action

  • Athletic Director Mike Bohn responded with the creation of the BLM Action team headed by Dr. Julie Rousseau

  • Since it's creation, USC has directly stated that "Black Lives Matter" and implemented mandatory implicit bias training for all students and staff

"As a point guard growing up, I was always a coach on the floor," Rousseau explained. "But I used coaching to really teach life skills."

Her over 25 years in coaching, and her experiences as a Division One college athlete, have given her a unique perspective on the world of sports — something Rousseau sees as a microcosm to the world around us.

In the last few months, athletes of all ages have been taking a stance on issues of social injustice — amidst protests against police brutality. To Rousseau, it has been powerful to watch unfold.

“I think this is a great time where we are, how we see professional athletes, and college athletes using their voice to say, 'Hey, we gotta talk about these issues,'" she said.

The rise in athlete activism is something she's witnessed firsthand as an adjunct professor at USC. In June, a group of Trojan student athletes came together to release a statement to the University, implementing the creation of a United Black Student Athletes Association and calling for decisive change by the school's athletic administration.

Several of the female athletes had been students in one of Rousseau's classes. “Seeing them step forward and take that bold step, I was proud," she said.

But more than just standing in solidarity with them, Rousseau would soon be tasked with bringing the demands of the student athletes to action. On June 17, the athletic director announced the creation of a USC Black Lives Matter action team.

According to a letter to the Trojan community, the group was created to:

"Address the social injustices that impact so many of our student-athletes, embrace the meaning of Black Lives Matter to USC Athletics and our overall University community, and stand in solidarity with Black student-athletes, coaches, and staff in our program and beyond."

Rousseau was tapped as the chair of the action team. “What the [student athletes] have done is they’ve presented the issues," she explained, "And so now we are using those recommendations and moving forward to put them to action.”

First on her list of priorities was stating that Black lives matter and next was the implementation of mandatory race and implicit bias training.

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“When we begin to have these conversations and our leaders are leading these conversations, it gives it energy," Rousseau said.

While in addition to her role in the classroom, her role on the action committee is a huge responsibility, and it's one she welcomes. As a former student athlete herself, Rousseau believes the mission and the potential impact is important.

“I think the world, first of all, is watching, the world is saying it matters, that Black lives matter," she said. "And I think in step with that, our University says 'we agree.'"