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Although collegiate athletics are officially over until the fall, the Gaels are still finding ways to make headlines and do Saint Mary's proud. This is the case for junior runner Molly Dreher, who will be recognized at the upcoming ESPYS as an honorable mention honoree for the Billie Jean King Youth Leadership Award.

The award celebrates and honors young people who are using the power of sport as a catalyst for change and making a positive impact on society. That's what Dreher has been focused on for more than a year through her work with the advocacy organization VOICEINSPORT, bolstering opportunities for girls and women in sport.

"It's pretty exciting," Dreher says about the award. "Advocacy work can be tough because you all to be self-motivated and it's on your own dime, but to be recognized and to see myself among a bunch of amazing people is pretty motivating. It's cool to think that I might be an inspiration in some capacity as well."

Dreher is set to be honored at the ESPYS on July 12 along with 10 other honorable mentions. The three winners of the award will be featured at the awards show. Hearing all the incredible work the other award winners have done has inspired Dreher to strive for more. "It's encouraging because I look around and know I'm not the only one pushing for something I believe in."

From Title IX to VOICEINSPORT

The STEM major has been out of her comfort zone recently, as the program she'll follow has her connecting with people in the sports industry and fostering her communications skills. She's looking forward to exploring a new field, with hopes that it can help create a new opportunity for her in the future.

"Being able to dip my toes in a field and area I don't have a ton of experience in is super unique," she says, "and maybe it'll allow me to create my own path and job within the field someday."

The Billie Jean King Youth Leadership Award was established in 2016. Over the past several years it has recognized stellar young people who have gone on to do great work in various communities. Dreher applied for the award last year and won some money, which she put toward the work of VOICEINSPORT. To carry out its mission, the company provides a community-based platform for digital services in mental health, nutrition, sport science, and mentoring from pro athletes for girls and women. Since 2022 Dreher has worked with the company's VIS Advocate Program, launched the year prior.

The journey that led Dreher to VOICEINSPORT came through Title IX work at Saint Mary's. Dreher has done some incredible things since joining VOICEINSPORT, including her work in drafting the Fair Play for Women Act of 2022, which is aimed at strengthening three key areas of Title IX in which VIS Advocates have been leading: education, reporting and transparency, and enforcement. While others contributed to the legislation, Dreher played a crucial role in creating the material that comprises the bill.

Last year, Dreher traveled to Capitol Hill to give a speech on Title IX and how it can be strengthened. Her first trip to DC opened her eyes to the impact athletes can have on effecting positive change, she says—which is why she will be heading back to Capitol Hill on July 11 to talk with senators and local schools about Title IX training.

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While she's in Washington, "We'll give a training to high schoolers and college kids in the DC area that can get there," Dreher explains. "It's also, honestly, a training for the legislative members." Why is that? Many members of Congress don't really understand how much Title IX doesn't work, Dreher says. "They're always very surprised when we tell them the facts. It's educating them as well, which is an interesting position to be in as a young person, because these are the people you vote for. They're the professionals, but then it's on you to be the teacher."

Many members of Congress don't really understand how much Title IX doesn't work, Molly Dreher says. "They're always very surprised when we tell them the facts. It's educating them as well.”

The future looks bright for Dreher, who intends to go to medical school following her final year at Saint Mary's, all while still doing work with Title IX and VOICEINSPORT. Throughout Dreher's time at Saint Mary's, she says she has had a strong support system that has encouraged her to strive for more, whether that's on trails at the WCC Championships or in the halls of Congress.

"When I've brought up ideas to my coaches or teammates, I'm never met with backlash, I've always met with: 'What can we do? What's the next step?'" Dreher says. "Having an environment that respects your voice and sets you up to use it and enact change is important." And that's what she has found at Saint Mary's.

On the other hand, she says, "You have a lot of universities that have 30,000 kids, they don't care what you think they don't have. You're one of the numbers and they don't have time for that. It takes a lot more to get stuff moving."

At Saint Mary's, she says, seeing results quickly encourages her to push more. "The more you push, the more you get," she says. "It's kind of a nice pressure cooker for success."
 

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In the assessment of head coach Marty Kinsey, Dreher has continued to impress each year she has been at Saint Mary's. "She takes full advantage of the support and resources and utilizes them to benefit her education," he says. "She embraces the core values of the college and is helping make the world a better place. She's a true leader and I'm excited to see how far she goes well past her collegiate days here at Saint Mary's."

“She embraces the core values of the college and is helping make the world a better place. She's a true leader.”

Dreher unfortunately won't be able to make the ESPYS because she'll be back on Capitol Hill. But she still hopes she gets to see herself on TV. Her bio and photo will be shared as part of the awards presentation.

Dreher's list of accomplishments keep growing, and as she continues to explore new areas and push for equality, she's also inspiring young runners and young leaders alike.
 

READ MORE: “Molly Dreher Leading Change with VOICEINSPORT”

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