RICHARDSON, TX (06.18.20) - UT Dallas Associate Director of Athletics Angela Marin is one of 20 senior-level administrators selected by the NCAA leadership development office, in partnership with the Board of Governors Committee To Promote Cultural Diversity and Equity, to participate in the NCAA Pathway Program in 2020-21.

The goal of the year-long NCAA Pathway Program is to prepare these administrators to attain positions as directors of athletics or conference commissioners. Throughout the program, participants will engage in a series of experiential learning opportunities focused on advancing them to the top role in an athletics department or conference, while building their skills to thrive in their current duties. This includes a focus on how to thrive in the ever-evolving intercollegiate athletics landscape shaped by recent prominent developments in society.

"The Pathway Program represents one of NCAA leadership development's most transformative offerings. Through investing in the development of those who coach, teach and lead them, we have a profound impact on the student-athlete experience through engaging participants in this marquee program," said DeeDee Merritt, director of leadership development. "This track record in achieving its intended outcome has resulted in the creation of a vast alumni pool populated with the most influential leaders in college sports." 

Marin joined the UT Dallas staff in 2012 and quickly became one of the key figures in the advancement of Comet athletics. She has been equally involved on the UTD campus, the American Southwest Conference and NCAA Division III during her tenure with the department. Marin has direct oversight of seven of UTD's 14 varsity sports and oversees the certification of over 450 Comet student-athletes annually. She serves as UTD's Senior Woman Administrator and is the department's liaison with the campus Title IX office. In addition, she is the sponsor for UTD's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).

"I am incredibly grateful to the NCAA for this opportunity," said Marin. "I look forward to a year of both personal and professional growth and am honored to walk alongside some of the top administrators in collegiate athletics.  I hope to make my Comet family proud."

She has worked closely with the ASC in assisting the league's development and planning for its annual SAAC meeting while also helping coordinate travel opportunities for ASC student-athletes to attend the NCAA Convention. Additionally, Marin wrote the by-laws and best practices for the ASC Compliance Directors group. A 2017 graduate of the Dr. Charles Whitcomb Leadership Institute, Marin is also a graduate of the NACWAA's Institute for Administrative Advancement and Leadership Enhancement Institute. In 2017, she was named the Emerging Athletic Administrator by the National Association of Division III Athletic Administrators (NADIIIAA).
 
Marin has represented UTD on several NCAA committees, most recently serving as the chair of the Student-Athlete Reinstatement Committee. She has served on the NCAA Regional Rules Subcommittee and the NCAA D-III Convention Planning Subcommittee. She serves on UTD's Compliance Advisory Committee and Title IX Committee. Marin also serves on the Regional Ranking Committee for women's tennis.

While the COVID-19 pandemic has prevented the group of administrators from meeting in person this summer, these college athletics leaders from all three divisions will connect virtually for an engaging week of virtual programming June 22-26. Participants will hear from accomplished speakers who will help facilitate critical conversations on an array of topics related to the state of college athletics. The curriculum will foster skill building by emphasizing values clarification, personal development and self-awareness, media training, diversity and inclusion, and organizational leadership.

"The 2020-21 Pathway cohort represents a diverse group of administrators who have demonstrated impressive leadership capabilities and potential to flourish as college athletics' next wave of capable decision-makers," Merritt said. "We are immensely excited to play a role in guiding these individuals along their professional journeys."

After their initial virtual meeting, participants will be separated divisionally, with Division I administrators and Division II and III administrators receiving division-specific programming. The participants will meet at the NCAA national office in Indianapolis in October to gain experience with the NCAA governance structure before selecting a destination for a spring site visit. In the spring meeting, they will receive the opportunity to interact and engage with industry professionals at a wide variety of organizations, providing a well-rounded outlook on leadership styles in and outside athletics.

Over the past 22 years, the acclaimed Pathway Program (formerly the Fellows Program) has produced over 200 alumni. Fifty-five of those participants (over 25%) have become directors of athletics or conference commissioners, including 46 who identify as either minorities or females. The 2019 Pathway Program alone has produced five athletics directors since commencement of programming last June.