*UPDATE 6/3: Please continue to fervently relay your concerns about this to the administration and keep raising the voices of dissent towards this course of action.*

As of the end of May 2019, Eastern University announced the resignation of its cross country/track and field coach and respected alumnus Mike Wilson, who left the school under sudden circumstances. While the Athletics Department has stated that this was a voluntary registration, other information has since come to light indicating that Coach Mike was pressured to leave the school under circumstances beyond his control. These circumstances do not justify the end of Coach Mike’s career at Eastern. The list of his high merits and intrinsic value as a coach, as well as his intense dedication to excellence and commitment to his alma mater, could go on indefinitely. For more about his character and integrity, simply ask any one of the 80+ young athletes he has recruited and led with strength at Eastern. Over the 3 years since the program was born, this man has nurtured it (through his own blood, sweat, and tears) from a brand-new name into a force to be reckoned with in the world of collegiate sports. More than that, he has gone above and beyond the scope of his position on a daily basis to advocate for, support, inspire, and challenge those under his care to become honor-roll students, premier athletes, and compassionate human beings driven to succeed. The lives he has touched in positive, dynamic ways are countless. We desperately want to see him finish what we started with these teams, and we know that is his desire as well. This petition exists as a tangible means for students, families, observers, and others in the community to make their voices heard, and to demonstrate their support for the reinstatement of Coach Mike at Eastern University. #WeRunWithWilson

*For anyone wishing to donate to the Wilsons, you can participate in the T-shirt fundraiser from now until Father’s Day (June 16.) All proceeds will go directly to Coach Mike and his wife. https://www.bonfire.com/werunwithwilson-t-shirt-fundraiser/