ROCHESTER, Mich. - Oakland University has named Tara Bergeron Assistant Athletic Director for Development, announced Senior Associate AD for External Affairs Padraic McMeel on Wednesday. Bergeron will be responsible for development, implementation, and management of the department's fundraising plan and activities within the Golden Grizzly Athletic Fund.

"Tara is a young, up and coming, professional," said McMeel. "We are excited to have her at Oakland as she provides another great addition to our external operations team. She will be a catalyst for growing the Golden Grizzlies Athletic Fund."

Prior to joining the Oakland Athletics staff, Bergeron served as the Assistant Director of the Chippewa Athletic Fund at Central Michigan University. She was able to raise over $300,000 to date and help programs meet fundraising goals, including the second largest single gift in fund history. Bergeron led and organized annual membership drives to 6,000-plus donors, faculty, staff and friends of CMU.

Bergeron spent three years with the Great Lakes Loons from 2011-14, serving as the Director of Group Sales where she oversaw the management of group venues and the group sales department.

A graduate of Central Michigan, Bergeron earned a bachelor's degree in marketing in 2006 and a master's degree in business administration in '07. She then went on to receive a graduate certificate in sports business from New York University in 2011.

#WEARtheBEAR