Megan Valentine, assistant director of Athletics, was selected by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) to be a member of the 2016 Pathway Program. The program is designed to elevate those currently in senior-level positions within athletic administration to the next step as a director of athletics.
Following the year-long program, participants will be able to identify how their values fit into the philosophy and execution of leadership within intercollegiate athletics. Members will develop knowledge and skill sets in areas such as budgeting, strategic planning and fundraising, and then learn to apply those skills to their current job responsibilities, and eventually utilize the skills during the transition to director of athletics. At Pathway, participants are sure to gain first-hand experience with the role of athletics within higher education.
Throughout the program, the Leadership Development department will ensure that participants are paired with a mentor from within the NCAA membership to assist during the year-long opportunity.
The program starts in conjunction with the annual NCAA Convention. The newly-selected class engages with past participants, key individuals in the industry, participates in sessions throughout Convention week, and attends programming geared to prepare them for that first day in the director of athletics’ seat. Over the duration of the program, participants will observe the spring and fall governance sessions at the NCAA national office and participate in additional professional development in the summer. The Pathway Program will then conclude where it began, at the NCAA Convention where there is the opportunity to engage with the incoming class of participants and fellow alumni.
Ms. Valentine joined the Fredonia Athletics and Recreation staff in August 2010 as assistant director of Athletics and was designated as the department’s senior woman administrator shortly thereafter. Valentine has oversight of all athletics and recreational facilities, facilities employees, and the recreation programs at Fredonia and advises the Blue Devils Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. While at Fredonia, she has served as a guest lecturer at the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Symposium, the Bowling Green State University Sport Management Symposium, and the NCAA Emerging Leaders Seminar. She currently serves on the SUNYAC Constitution and Student-Athlete Well-Being Committees and has worked with the NCAA Division III Ethnic Minority and Women’s Internship Grant Committee.
Elements included in the Pathway programming will include education, as well as dialogue, on hot-button topics and current issues. Additionally, skill building will take place in the areas of values clarification, leadership, media training, diversity and inclusion, as well as an in-depth look and introduction to search firms and the hiring process within collegiate athletics.
The NCAA Division II and Division III 2016 Program cohort includes: Megan Valentine, Fredonia; Elizabeth Tiffany, Union College; Catherine Corcoran, Rosemont College; Michelle Manning, Ithaca College; Jason Trufant, Dowling College; Amy Foster, Seattle Pacific University; Christian Stryker, Coker College; Marques Dantzler, Texas A & M University-Kingsville.
