NCAA selects athletics administrators for 2016 NCAA Pathway Program

Twenty-three senior-level athletics administrators, committed to becoming directors of athletics, have been selected by a committee from the NCAA membership to participate in the 2016 NCAA Pathway Program, a yearlong experiential learning opportunity.

For the senior-level athletics administrators who participate, the program provides an unprecedented opportunity to gain insight into every facet of an athletics department, preparing them to become well-rounded leaders who are equipped with the tools an effective athletics director needs. Each program participant is mentored by a current NCAA athletics director and a current university chancellor or president who have committed to helping the pathway participants grow during the program and after completing it.

Fifteen Pathway participants from Division I institutions will come together for the first time in Portland, Oregon, for three days. Eight Pathway participants representing NCAA Divisions II and III will gather together for the first time at the 2016 NCAA Convention in San Antonio.

These in-person sessions will include opportunities to engage with university presidents, who will shed light on the role of athletics directors, reinforce the value of athletics on campus and provide candid answers to participants’ questions. Along with NCAA Convention programming and governance meetings, program participants will participate in a simulation of their first staff meeting as a director of athletics, receive advice on beginning their first 90 days in an athletics director chair, participate in case studies on campus-relevant topics and learn best practices from current and former athletics directors.

“The Pathway Program is an unmatched opportunity, exposing highly qualified athletics administrators to the latest information and robust experiences, delivered by practiced experts in the field,” said Bernard Franklin, NCAA executive vice president of education and community engagement and chief inclusion officer. “Administrators who complete the program not only gain technical knowledge but graduate with confidence and quality decision-making skills.”

Since its inception in 1997, the program (formerly known as the NCAA Fellows Leadership Development Program) has produced more than 100 alumni. Nearly 25 percent of participants have gone on to become directors of athletics, while more than 60 percent have received promotions in their careers.

NCAA leadership development, located in Indianapolis, coordinates and facilitates education and training for student-athletes, coaches and athletics administrators. The staff annually hosts programs, at little or no cost to members, using expert curriculum designed to enhance the well-being and personal development of college athletes. The staff also provides ongoing education and topical training to athletics professionals who identify and serve student-athlete needs. For more information, visit www.NCAA.org/leadershipdevelopment.

2016 NCAA Pathway Program participants