Please pass this information on to anyone in your department or within the industry you know that may benefit from the McLendon Leadership Initiative. Open MLI positions will be posted HERE beginning Wednesday, May 8.
CLEVELAND – The McLendon Foundation is proud to announce that Year Four of the McLendon Leadership Initiative (MLI) is on the horizon, with job postings for 2023-24 MLI Fellows set to open on Wednesday, May 8.
The McLendon Minority Leadership Initiative is a coach-driven initiative that provides diverse college graduates a jump-start to their careers through practical experiences and opportunities to build their network while instilling in them the values of John McLendon: Integrity, Education, Leadership and Mentorship. Participants in the initiative are known as MLI Future Leaders.
In the program, Fellows receive career exposure working in college athletics departments while also learning the importance of interviewing, networking, decision making, leadership, and career planning.
University of Arkansas men's basketball head coach John Calipari and Harvard University men's basketball head coach Tommy Amaker spearheaded the MLI in the summer of 2020 after watching the nation confront issues of social injustice and racial inequality. The idea was to recruit minority candidates and provide access and opportunity with real-world experience and networking platforms designed to elevate talented young women and men of color.
A total of 171 MLI Fellows have secured opportunities at institutions and athletics organizations across the country since its inception in 2020. The McLendon Foundation is expected to continue making a positive impact in sports administration for aspiring executive leaders with the fifth annual cohort to begin in the fall of 2024. The 2024-25 class will officially kick off with MLI Leadership Weekend, an in-person event bringing current and former Fellows together for an enhanced professional development experience, to be held in mid-August.
Click here to hear from several MLI Fellows
on their experience at the 2023 MLI Leadership Weekend. |
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In addition to the Leadership Weekend, Future Leaders participate in the McLendon Education Series throughout the year. The mission of the Education Series is to provide young minority professionals, who aspire to be leaders in athletics administration and other enterprises, foundational skills to reach their ultimate career goal and grow their network. The Education Series is a monthly program that focuses on career planning, decision making, interviewing, leadership and networking.
Click here to read an article from MLI Fellow Elian Rodriguez of the
National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) on what the
McLendon Leadership Initiative has meant for his career as a minority in athletics.
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An overview of the McLendon Foundation and the MLI program can be found here.
About the McLendon Foundation: The McLendon Foundation, established in 1999, is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization founded and administered by NACDA. Through the scholarship program and leadership initiative, the McLendon Foundation provides minorities educational resources, practical experiences and serves as a vehicle for networking, career advancement and advocacy on behalf of the profession. More information regarding the McLendon Foundation can be found at MinorityLeaders.org.
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