The NCAA has selected 19 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.
The 19 selected attendees took part in a week of professional development programming July 12-19 in Tampa, Florida. Additionally, 18 athletics administrators who started in the Leadership Institute last summer took part in the programming in Tampa and were recognized at a graduation ceremony attended by program alumni.
"The Dr. Charles Whitcomb Leadership Institute is truly the epitome of what leadership development is all about," said DeeDee Merritt, managing director of leadership development at the NCAA. "This program is designed to be a home and a safe space for our learners, built to allow space for growth and to challenge them. This is where it all comes together. The community that is manifested through the institute goes beyond the year we have them for; it's a lifetime bond."
First-year program participants began with days of activities and learning focused on exploring career aspirations and enhancing essential skills. Attendees spent time exploring goals, clarifying values and looking closer at their behavioral styles, as well as those of their peers. Administrators also took part in an intensive budget activity, allowing them to engage fellow learners and refine problem-solving skills.
Additionally, those in year one engaged with a variety of subject matter experts and gained knowledge in several areas, such as the challenges of leadership within college athletics, student-athlete welfare issues, strategic planning, budget management, fundraising, compliance, human resources and performance management.
Participants had the opportunity to explore the internal workings of an athletics department with a campus visit to South Florida, where they actively engaged athletics department staff members with discussions of campus culture, organizational structures and communications best practices.
Participants graduating from the Leadership Institute in Tampa focused on in-depth personality and leadership assessments aimed at providing them with valuable insight into their strengths and areas of improvement. They worked with a consultant to dissect assessment results and walked away with tangible applications for self-reflection. Additionally, they were assigned an intensive case study activity to hone their skills in collaboration and communication.
The graduating administrators also completed a comprehensive DiSC 363 assessment combining peer and mentor feedback to provide an assessment of their leadership strengths and weaknesses.
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
- Alexis Anderson, Ferrum, Division II.
- Peaches Brown, Drexel, Division I.
- Richard Chery, Nebraska, Division I.
- Ashley Conner, Edward Waters University, Division II.
- Therno Diallo, Rutgers, Division I.
- Christina Epps-Chiazor, Swarthmore, Division III.
- Brandon Floyd, Vanderbilt, Division I.
- Elizabeth Hamlet, Illinois, Division I.
- Ashley Jocelyn, NCAA.
- Kirsten McCowan, Big South Conference, Division I.
- Patty Medina, American, Division I.
- Marcus Murrell, Clark Atlanta, Division II.
- Shon Pilcher, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Division I.
- Reava Potter, St. Mary's (Maryland), Division III.
- Danielle Pulliam, Wisconsin, Division I.
- Courtney Randall, UC Davis, Division I.
- Joseph Walters, Hampton, Division I.
- Faithe Ways, DePaul, Division I.
- LaToya Williams, Alcorn State, Division I.
Year Two Roster
- Obafemi Alao, Roberts Wesleyan, Division II.
- DaWon Baker, Colorado, Division I.
- Ahmad Boyd, The Pingry School.
- Ramone Cooper, Baylor, Division I.
- Toni-Ann Derby, Austin Peay, Division I.
- Kenny Francis, Boston College, Division I.
- Bria Griffin, Colorado State, Division I.
- Stephanie Johnson, Goucher, 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, Bradley, Division I.
- Olivia Winkfield, Rochester Institute of Technology, Division III.
