Black History Month: Gene Smith Pioneered a Path for Representation in College Athletics Administration
02/13/25 • 30 min
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Gene Smith, a Division I athletic director for nearly 40 years was a trailblazer for Black college administrators. In 1986 when he earned his first athletic director job, he was one of two Black Division I-A athletic directors. Through his diversity and inclusion efforts, Smith has played a big role in administrators from underrepresented groups earning athletic director jobs themselves.
Gene Smith’s true legacy can be seen in his diverse pipeline around the country including, Patrick Chun became the first Asian American AD at a Power 5 school when Washington State hired him in 2018; Martin Jarmond spent three years as Boston College’s AD before heading to UCLA in 2020. BenJay spent a stint as Hawaii’s AD for two years and is now the CFO for the Big West Conference; Heather Lyke was hired as Pittsburgh’s AD in 2017, Diana Sabau hired as Utah State’s next AD and TJ Shelton was hired as Case Western Reserve’s AD in 2022.
Gene Smith a true door opener for Black College Administrators at the Power 5 Level and throughout all of college athletics.
Send us a comment about the Be a Baller Podcast Episode. Thanks for support.
Gene Smith, a Division I athletic director for nearly 40 years was a trailblazer for Black college administrators. In 1986 when he earned his first athletic director job, he was one of two Black Division I-A athletic directors. Through his diversity and inclusion efforts, Smith has played a big role in administrators from underrepresented groups earning athletic director jobs themselves.
Gene Smith’s true legacy can be seen in his diverse pipeline around the country including, Patrick Chun became the first Asian American AD at a Power 5 school when Washington State hired him in 2018; Martin Jarmond spent three years as Boston College’s AD before heading to UCLA in 2020. BenJay spent a stint as Hawaii’s AD for two years and is now the CFO for the Big West Conference; Heather Lyke was hired as Pittsburgh’s AD in 2017, Diana Sabau hired as Utah State’s next AD and TJ Shelton was hired as Case Western Reserve’s AD in 2022.
Gene Smith a true door opener for Black College Administrators at the Power 5 Level and throughout all of college athletics.
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BE A BALLER -"Building a lifelong legacy" - Black History Month: Gene Smith Pioneered a Path for Representation in College Athletics Administration
Transcript
I felt that I needed to make sure that I could demonstrate that we could do the job . People who were brown like me could do the job ,
Speaker 1and I didn't want to be the excuse for any hiring authority to say , look , he couldn't get it done . He couldn't get it done at Eastern Michigan , he couldn't get it done at Iowa State or whereve
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