The NCAA has selected 18 minority athletics administrators to take part in the Dr. Charles Whitcomb Leadership Institute, a program that aims to elevate participants' leadership skills to accelerate their professional growth while enhancing their ability to excel within their current roles.
Those selected will take part in professional development programming July 13-18 in Dallas. Additionally, 17 athletics administrators who started the Leadership Institute last summer will take part in programming in Dallas and be recognized at a graduating ceremony on the final day there.
"The Leadership Institute has a rich history and esteemed alumni who are now leading athletics departments and conferences across the nation. The learners in year one and two are rising stars within their fields, and we look forward to them ascending to new heights of success due to this program," said DeeDee Merritt, managing director of leadership development at the NCAA.
Those in the first year of the program begin with days of activities and key learning focused on exploring career aspirations and enhancing essential skills. Attendees will spend time exploring goals, clarifying values and looking closer at their behavioral styles, as well as those of their peers. Administrators also will take part in an intensive budget activity, allowing them to engage fellow learners and refine problem-solving skills.
Additionally, those in year one will engage with a variety of subject matter experts and gain knowledge in several areas, such as the challenges of minority leadership within college athletics, student-athlete welfare issues, strategic planning, budget management, fundraising, compliance, human resources and performance management.
Participants will have the opportunity to explore the internal workings of an athletics department with a visit to a local university, where they will actively engage athletics department staff members with discussions of campus culture, organizational structures and communications best practices.
Participants graduating from the Leadership Institute in Dallas will engage in programming focused on in-depth personality and leadership assessments aimed to provide them with valuable insight into their strengths and areas of improvement. They will work with a consultant to dissect assessment results and walk away with tangible applications for self-reflection. Additionally, they will be assigned an intensive case study activity to hone their skills in collaboration, communication and the development of a capital campaign.
The graduating administrators also will complete a comprehensive DiSC 363 assessment combining peer and mentor feedback to provide an assessment of their leadership strengths and weaknesses. On the final day in Dallas, year-two participants will matriculate in a recognition ceremony attended by program alumni.
More than 400 administrators have graduated from the Leadership Institute since it started in 2002, and more than 60% of those have gone on to hold senior leadership positions in college athletics.
Visit the Leadership Institute's webpage to learn more, including who is eligible to apply, how and when to apply, and specific information on the programming.
Year One Roster
- Obafemi Alao, Roberts Wesleyan, Division II.
- DaWon Baker, Colorado, Division I.
- Ahmad Boyd, Northwestern, Division I.
- Serge Clement, Hofstra, Division I.
- Ramone Cooper, Baylor, Division I.
- Toni-Ann Derby, West Coast Conference, Division I.
- Kenny Francis, Boston College, Division I.
- Bria Griffin, Colorado State, Division I.
- Stephanie Johnson, Susquehanna, Division III.
- Ashlesha Lokhande, NCAA.
- Dionne McCollum, Claflin, Division II.
- Kristal McGreggor, Austin Peay, Division I.
- Alyssa Murphy, Louisville, Division I.
- Joshua Roberson, Wayne State (Michigan), Division II.
- Wyatt Sutton, Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, Division I.
- Jonathan Wallace, Texas A&M, Division I.
- Jacques Wells, Akron, Division I.
- Olivia Winkfield, Rochester Institute of Technology, Division III.
Year Two Roster
- Ron Baines, New Jersey City, Division III.
- Mark Bennett, Lincoln (Pennsylvania), Division II.
- Sheridan Blanford, Washington, Division I.
- Epiphany Clark, Michigan State, Division I.
- Clifton Douglass, Conference USA, Division I.
- Jazlyn Eddings, Virginia, Division I.
- Courtney Gay, Georgia, Division I.
- Brianna Gladney, Nevada, Division I.
- Fredrick Holmes, Lincoln (Missouri), Division II.
- Jennifer Jacobs, Augustana (South Dakota), Division II.
- Kentrell Kearney, Norfolk State, Division I.
- John Kelly, Vanderbilt, Division I.
- Shelby McKay, Atlantic Coast Conference, Division I.
- Jasmine Quinn, Southwestern Athletic Conference, Division I.
- Amber Thomas, Centennial Conference, Division III.
- Michael Thomas, Cincinnati, Division I.
- Robert Vogel, Alverno, Division III.
