JCU Establishes Mike Cleary Program In Sports Studies Advisory Council

From John Carroll University: John Carroll University has established an advisory council to advance its Mike Cleary Program in Sports Studies. The council is composed of well-known sports industry, college athletics, business, and academic leaders. The role of the advisory council is to provide resources and professional advice that will further the interest and opportunities for undergraduate students at John Carroll who are pursuing sports-related careers. Members of the Advisory Council are listed below:

• Owen Cleary ‘92, Chair, General Manager, Wakefield Equipment
• Kevin Anderson, Director of Athletics, University of Maryland
• Mike Buddie, Director of Athletics, Furman University
• Dr. Margaret Farrar, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, John Carroll University
• David Gilbert, President and CEO, Greater Cleveland Sports Commission
• Dino Lucarelli, Director of Alumni Relations (retired), Cleveland Browns
• Oliver Luck, Executive Vice President of Regulatory Affairs and Strategic Partnerships, NCAA
• Dr. Kathleen Manning ‘72G, Director, Mike Cleary Program in Sports Studies
• Sean O'Toole, Director of Athletics, Gilmour Academy
• Lee Reed, Director of Athletics, Georgetown University
• Gene Smith, Senior Vice President and Wolfe Endowed Director of Athletics, The Ohio State University
• Bob Vecchione, Executive Director, National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA)

John Carroll launched the Sports Studies Program in 2014. It is named in honor of Michael J. Cleary. Mr. Cleary was a 1956 John Carroll graduate who served as executive director of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) from the association’s founding in 1965 through 2011. Under his leadership, the association expanded from a 300-member organization to one with more than 6,500 athletic administrators in approximately 1,600 institutions and organizations throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

“I think that my fellow advisory council members all feel the best way to reciprocate the mentorship and professional assistance from my dad is by putting our names on a program that bears his name, so that it will never be forgotten and will benefit many generations to come,” said Owen Cleary, advisory council chair, and a 1992 John Carroll graduate.

John Carroll University, founded in 1886 as Saint Ignatius College, is located in University Heights, Ohio, in suburban Cleveland. Its Jesuit Catholic mission inspires individuals to excel in learning, leadership, and service in the region and the world. John Carroll University is recognized nationally for an exceptional four-year graduation rate, teaching excellence, and a commitment to living a faith that does justice as central to its mission. John Carroll is one of 28 Jesuit colleges and universities in the United States.

Photo courtesy of JCU