CLEVELAND – NACDA is proud to announce the continuation of "NACDA U" for the 2022-23 academic year. Now in its second year, the NACDA U initiative is a means for the Association to invest in its membership through professional development, supporting athletics directors and senior level administrators as they advance in their careers and navigate the continually evolving landscape of collegiate athletics.

NACDA U will provide the means for 400 grant recipients to attend specified NACDA meetings in 2023 through a $1,000 professional development grant.
 
The first grant application (for athletics directors only) to attend the NACDA Spring Symposium is now live (click here). The deadline to apply is Wednesday, Nov. 30. Applicants must be current NACDA dues paying members to be considered.
 
There will be a total of four NACDA U applications opening at separate times over the course of the next several months, from which 100 recipients will be selected for each:
 
For Athletics Directors:

1. 2023 NACDA Spring Symposium (LIVE NOW) – April 16-18, West Point, N.Y.
2. 2023 NACDA & Affiliates Convention (Application to open in early 2023) – June 11-14, Orlando, Fla.

For Senior Level Administrators:

1. 2023 NACDA & Affiliates Convention (Application to open in early 2023) – June 11-14, Orlando, Fla.
2. 2023 NACDA & Affiliates Fall Forum (Application to open in late summer 2023) – Late October/Early November, Location TBD

The grant will be managed on a reimbursement basis to the recipient's institution and will allocate $1,000 for registration and travel expenses associated with each in-person meeting. Applicants should be aware of the intended distribution of funds and prepared to attend the specified meeting(s) for which they are selected as a NACDA U participant.
 
Athletics directors and senior-level administrators who have previously been selected as a NACDA U participant in the past are still encouraged to apply for the current year, as this does not prevent an individual from being selected again.
 
Questions regarding the NACDA U program and process should be directed to Jason Galaska in the NACDA National Office at jgalaska@nacda.com.
 
NACDA U Recipient Testimonials
"NACDA has always and continues to play a vital role in my professional development. Even as an athletics director, with the NACDA U grant, I was fortunate to attend the Spring Symposium and Annual Convention which were tremendously helpful transitioning into the role."
        – Adrian Dowell, Vice Chancellor / Director of Athletics, University of Nebraska Omaha 

"Attending any event hosted by NACDA has been critical to my career development, and receiving the NACDA U grant this past year made it all possible. The time I spend interacting with and learning from others in the profession is so valuable and rewarding. I always walk away from NACDA events feeling more connected to my peers and better equipped to take on the challenges we all face working in intercollegiate athletics."
        – Kent Haslam, Director of Athletics, University of Montana 

"I was proud to receive the NACDA U grant and defer some of the cost to attend the Spring Symposium and the Convention. These two events were extremely impactful as I started as AD at Wingate University, as both featured a chance to network with colleagues to exchange ideas and session topics that are applicable each day. As we gathered in-person after a few years of meeting virtually, the events were top-notch and a reminder of how close the Division II and AD family is to each other. The growth I experienced at these events was only possible because of the NACDA U grant and I am thankful for NACDA's investment in each of us!"
        – Kelley Kish, Director of Athletics, Wingate University 

About NACDA: Now in its 58th year, NACDA is the professional and educational Association for more than 22,000 college athletics administrators at more than 2,200 institutions throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico. NACDA manages 18 professional associations and four foundations. In addition to virtual programming, NACDA hosts five major professional development events in-person annually. The NACDA & Affiliates Convention is the largest gathering of collegiate athletics administrators in the country. For more information, visit www.nacda.com.