July 21, 2010
George Midgett, Compliance Coordinator with Vanderbilt Athletics, graduated from the prestigious NCAA Leadership Institute for Ethnic Minority Males and Females in June.
The institute was developed to address the critical shortage of senior-level professionals of color in athletics administrative staff at NCAA member institutions and within conference offices. The program is designed to prepare diverse leaders through a 12-month leadership training and skills development experience to enhance job-related competencies. It was enacted in 2001 to address the NCAA’s concern that there was a dearth of minorities in high leadership positions in collegiate sports.
Candice Lee, Vanderbilt’s Associate Director of Student Athletics, enthusiastically supported Midgett’s participation.
“Young leaders need forums where they can continue to develop skills,” she said. “That’s why he was a perfect candidate. He’s got great potential. He interacts with people very well, he’s very loyal to Vanderbilt and he’s very good for our student-athletes.”
After being admitted, Midgett drove up to the NCAA offices in Indianapolis for four-day periods in August, October, November and February for the classes, which covered many different areas, including Leadership and Administration, Human Resource Management, Finance and Fundraising, and Public and Media Relations.
“We literally took classes from about 8 in the morning to about 6 in the evening,” Midgett said. “We learned about numerous subjects, how to be effective leaders, values and ideas that we may not get in our daily positions. It was very intensive.”
His supervisor noted the positive influence in his work at Vanderbilt between sessions.
“He’s really taking a lot of initiative,” Lee said. “He really seems more comfortable as a young leader who is growing. He’s always had great relationships with his peers. I just think it’s given him a professional confidence that was apparent as he went through this program. I think it’s been as beneficial for Vanderbilt as much as it’s been beneficial for him.”
The Institute ended with a week-long leadership workshop in June before Midgett and his peers were recognized in a graduation ceremony. Brad Bates, a former Associate Athletic Director at Vanderbilt and currently the AD at Miami (Ohio), served as a guest speaker.
Midgett, a Chicago native, is in his sixth year with the athletic department. Working with all sports, his main responsibilities in Compliance include rules education and eligibility. He completed his undergraduate work at Fisk University, where he was a center fielder for four years for the Bulldogs baseball team. He earned his master’s degree at neighboring Belmont University before joining Vanderbilt.
He has impressed his peers with his potential to become a strong leader in college sports.
“I think that this program… just gave him an opportunity,” Lee said. “They’ve had great speakers, and they have access to athletic directors and these great national resources. It was an experience Vanderbilt alone could not have provided for him.”
“My experience in the Institute was truly amazing,” Midgett said. “The tools that the institute provided to me, combined with the wealth of knowledge I’ve gained has transformed me. I’m thankful for my boss for supporting in me, the outstanding facilitators of the program and 22 of the most dynamic people I’ve ever met and the opportunity to give back this knowledge to Vanderbilt University.
Not that he didn’t have them already, but Midgett has high aspirations after joining the elite ranks of people to have completed the Institute.
“I definitely would like to continue my career in athletics, taking my talents into higher administration, maybe being an AD or an associate AD,” he said.