Jacksonville – MacMurray College announced today that it had been awarded grant money from the NCAA to fund a new position within the Department of Athletics.

     Only one of thirteen selected schools nationwide within Division III/Class V, the grant will be used to hire an assistant to the director of athletics. The newly created position will also be the college’s compliance coordinator and game management coordinator.

     MacMurray College Athletic Director Kevin Haslam said, “This is a true win-win-win situation. MacMurray College and the Department of Athletics are very proud and honored to support the Division III Initiatives Task Force’s vision for achieving Division III’s stated mission of its institutions and conferences supporting ethnic and gender diversity for all constituents.”

     Other schools who have been awarded similar grant money include the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Millikin University and Williams College. In all five classes of Division III, there were a total of 72 schools who were awarded grants in the new program.

      The NCAA Minority Opportunities and Interests Committee on race demographics initiated a study that found Division III has the lowest percentage of ethnic minority and female coaches and administrators among the three divisions of the NCAA.

     Demographically, MacMurray’s ethnic population shows a student body population that is 79% white and 60% female. Within the College’s athletics department, there is a 91% white majority that is also 71% male.

     The college’s faculty and staff show a 95% white majority that is 60% female.

     The issue was addressed by the Division III Presidents and Management councils who created the Ethnic Minority and Women’s Internship Grant Program. The program supports the stated mission of Division III regarding gender diversity for all constituents.

     Its goal is to prepare individuals for full-time employment in a leadership role in athletics administration. The NCAA grant will allow funding for a 2-year, full-time position.

      “The young man or young woman selected for this position will receive a quality experience in athletics administration, including fundraising, compliance and game management, which will springboard him or her into a very long and successful career in athletics administration,” said Haslam.

     In the role of assistant to the director of athletics, the internship will actively involve the individual in several new initiatives within the College’s athletic department including the corporate sponsorship program and the Mac Backers booster club. He/she will also assist in cultivating major gift prospects and coordinating major gift prospects.

     As compliance coordinator, the individual will assist in ensuring compliance with all NCAA regulations. They will also monitor recruiting activities, investigate any and all infractions of NCAA legislation and help plan compliance education seminars at MacMurray.

     As game management coordinator, he/she will assist in the planning, development and implementation of game management policies and procedures, development of a game management guide, facilitation of weekly game management meetings and assist in the hiring of student workers for game management purposes.

     In addition to weekly meetings and day-to-day communication with the athletics director, the new staff member will also have a support staff that will include a designated mentor…the Assistant Athletic Director for Student Development/Senior Woman Administrator/Head Softball Coach.

      The individual selected for the new position will have five other support personnel including the Assistant Athletic Director for Development/Head Men’s and Women’s Soccer Coach, the Athletics Department Administrative Assistant, a faculty athletics representative, the Sports Information Director, and the department’s athletic trainer.

     “The MacMurray College community will be getting an individual who will serve as a role model to our students and student-athletes and who will be a key component in furthering the vision and mission of MacMurray College and the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics,” said Haslam.

     The internship grant application was first made available to NCAA membership school in December, 2005. Applications were due by March 1, 2006. There will be an internship orientation session at the NCAA national office in Indianapolis July 19 – 22. All interns, supervisors and mentors are required to attend the session.

      In September, the NCAA will distribute checks to all new internship grant institutions and conferences.

     Director Haslam noted that it was very much a group effort in obtaining the grant and would not have been possible without the assistance of Ms. Shelley Whitaker, Assistant Athletic Director for Student Development/Senior Woman Administrator, Dr. Allan Metcalf, Registrar and Dr. Parris Watts, Vice-President for Academic and Student Affairs.

     Located in Jacksonville, Ill., MacMurray College is a private, four-year, liberal arts, coeducational college, founded in 1846, and affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Its friendly, informal environment stresses academic excellence, personal attention, career experience, and well-rounded development of each individual.