ROCHESTER, Mich. - Oakland University Senior Associate Athletics Director Padraic McMeel is 1 of 23 athletic administrators across the country to be selected to participate in the NCAA Pathway Program. McMeel oversees the external operations team for Oakland Athletics.

"This is a tremendous opportunity and I am so thankful to Jeff Konya (Oakland AD) and Julie Roe Lach (Horizon League Associate Commissioner) for their support and recommendations," said McMeel. "Over the last few years, I have set the goal of leading an athletics department, and this NCAA Leadership program will further my abilities to do just that. I am honored and humbled to represent Oakland and the Horizon League."

For the senior-level athletics administrators who participate, the program provides an unprecedented opportunity to gain insight into every facet of an athletics organization, preparing them to become well-rounded leaders who are equipped with the tools to become an effective Director of Athletics. Each program participant is mentored by a current NCAA AD and a current university chancellor or president who have committed to helping the pathway participants grow during the program and after completing it.

McMeel will join the other Division I participants for three days in Portland, Ore., Jan. 29-31. These in-person sessions will include opportunities to engage with university presidents, who will shed light on the role of the AD, reinforce the value of athletics on campus and provide candid answers to their questions.

"The Pathway Program is an unmatched opportunity, exposing highly qualified athletics administrators to the latest information and robust experiences, delivered by practiced experts in the field," said Bernard Franklin, NCAA executive vice president of education and community engagement and chief inclusion officer. "Administrators who complete the program not only gain technical knowledge but graduate with confidence and quality decision-making skills."

The program began in 1997, formerly known as the NCAA Fellows Leadership Development Program, has produced more than 100 alumni and nearly 25 percent have gone on to becoming Athletic Directors.

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