June 27, 2014
CLEVELAND - The Minority Opportunities Athletic Association (MOAA) announced Past President and Associate Vice President/Director of Athletics at Northern Illinois University (NIU) Sean T. Frazier as the 2014 MOAA Distinguished Service Award recipient, for his dedication in promoting the understanding and appreciation of diversity. This award was presented at the 2014 MOAA Symposium in Orlando, Florida.
After almost a year on the job as Associate Vice President and Director of Athletics at Northern Illinois, Frazier continues to do impressive things for the Huskies and the intercollegiate athletics industry as a whole. Prior to his time at NIU, Frazier spent six years in senior leadership roles at the University of Wisconsin, serving most recently as Deputy Director of Athletics for the Badgers' 23-sport, $100 million program. With expertise in fundraising, branding, program and student-athlete development and a national reputation as a leader on diversity, Frazier took over a Northern Illinois athletics program still riding a wave of momentum generated by the Huskie football team's historic appearance in the 2013 Discover Orange Bowl.
The MOAA Distinguished Service Award acknowledges and honors the effort of an individual who strives to promote understanding and appreciation of diversity in its multitude of forms.
The criteria for evaluating nominations was as follows:
Individuals/Administrators who have gone above and beyond to create a welcoming, inclusive and supportive environment in which there is a pervasive ethic of intercultural caring and valuation for all members, identities and perspectives.
Individuals/Administrators who have demonstrated an outstanding effort or commitment to the recruitment, hiring and retention of a high-quality and diversified staff across their entire department or organization.
Individuals/Administrators who have taken specific identifiable measures to establish a stimulating, dialogic environment that engage all campus/organizational members and advance knowledge and understanding of issues and perspectives associated with diversity (i.e., proactive, positive engagement around diversity).
About MOAA: MOAA promotes equitable employment opportunities for minorities in the athletics industry through the exchange of ideas, the creation of networking opportunities and the advocation of an increase in employment for minorities in athletics administration positions at all levels of the sports industry. The Association also promotes cultivating a sports environment that supports the values necessary to accept aspiring professionals from all walks of life. For more information on MOAA, please visit www.moaaweb.com. MOAA is administered by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), which is in its 49th year. For more information on NACDA and the 13 professional associations that fall under its umbrella, please visit www.nacda.com.
