WASHINGTON, DC — The Division 1A Athletic Directors’ Association (D-1A) today announced the awarding of up to 10 scholarships of $2,000 each, to minority senior administrators currently working at one of the 129 D-1A member universities. The scholarships, which will support the attendance of minority participants who are nominated to attend the Institute, are provided by the John McLendon Minority Scholarship Foundation, a nationally recognized charitable organization supporting the advancement of minorities.

C. Thomas McMillen, President and Chief Executive Officer of D-1A commented, “We are honored to be supported by and to be working with the John McLendon Minority Scholarship Foundation in providing the opportunity to further the career paths of minority senior administrators in our membership.

“The John McLendon Minority Scholarship Foundation helps various minority candidates, who might otherwise not have the opportunity, to advance their career objectives.”

“We are proud to partner with the D-1A to assist those deserving minority athletics administrators in taking the next step in their careers,” said Lee Reed, President of the McLendon Minority Scholarship Foundation and Director of Athletics at Georgetown University. “It is one of the primary goals of the Foundation to enhance the pipeline of minorities in our industry, and these scholarships are a great way to identify and recognize up-and-coming athletics directors.”

The D-1A annually conducts the Institute, a three day educational forum where experienced athletics directors teach and share information and know-how with the Institutes’ participants, who are typically senior level 1A Associate Athletics Directors nominated by their universities’ athletics directors to attend the program. The goal of the Institute is to help the participants be better prepared to move into the role of athletics director. This years’ Institute, conducted in partnership with the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), will be held July 18-20, at the James L. Allen Center on the campus of Northwestern University.

About D-1A: The D-1A is an association of athletic directors of the 129 universities which comprise the NCAA Division 1 Football Subdivision (FBS). The D-1A represents the athletic directors and the athletic programs of these institutions as well as the student- athletes in each program. Key to the D-1A mission are influencing how the rules of college sports are enacted and implemented, advocating for the future of college athletics and providing various services to the members.

About the John McLendon Minority Scholarship Foundation: The John McLendon Minority Foundation is a 501(c)3 Non-Profit Organization Founded and Administered by NACDA that provides educational opportunities and serves as a vehicle for networking, information and advocacy on behalf of the profession. If you have any questions regarding this program, please visit www.mclendonminorityfoundation.com.

About NACDA: NACDA, now in its 51^st year, is the professional and educational Association for more than 15,700 college athletics administrators at more than 1,700 institutions throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico. More than 5,500 athletics administrators annually attend NACDA & Affiliates Convention Week. Additionally, NACDA manages 15 professional associations and three foundations. For more information on NACDA, visit www.nacda.com.

For further information, please contact C. Thomas McMillen at (202) 321-8299 or tom@d-1a.com.