O'Connell Selected For 2007-08 NCAA Fellows Leadership Development Program

Jan. 31, 2007

Chicago, Ill. - Loyola University Chicago senior associate athletics director and senior woman administrator Carolyn O'Connell is one of twelve individuals named to the NCAA Fellows Leadership Development Program it was announced this week. O'Connell was identified as an individual with exceeding potential to one day lead an athletics department or athletics conference office.

O'Connell is currently in her 27th year at Loyola, where her responsibilities include supervising various men's and women's sports programs, as well as the spirit program. Her other duties include serving as the departmental liaison to the offices of admissions, residence life, student financial assistance and learning assistance, while also serving as the NCAA compliance officer for Loyola.

The NCAA Fellows Leadership Development Program was created with the specific goal of enhancing the employment and leadership opportunities for women and racial/ethnic minorities at the senior management level of intercollegiate athletics administration. The 18-month program provides individuals with academic and practical work experiences that will enable them to develop their talents and abilities and mesh those skills with their career aspirations. The program is designed to foster leadership within intercollegiate athletics and relate to the participants how athletics fits within the total academic experience.

NCAA Fellows remain at their current institutions and are assigned an executive mentor from the NCAA membership who will help them gain insight into the administrative decision-making process at the highest levels of intercollegiate athletics. NCAA Fellows attend the NCAA Convention, Association-related meetings, retreats and workshops. Special training includes the areas of marketing, public/media relations, budgeting, booster relations, leadership training, compliance, fundraising, diversity training and management training. NCAA Fellows also identify, plan and complete a project (outside of normal job responsibilities) during the 18-month period.

O'Connell's executive mentor is Northwestern University Director of Athletics Mark Murphy.

Story was provided by Loyola Sports Information