Case Studies Intercollegiate Athletics

On a gray Chicago morning, Taylor Stapleton walks the halls of DePaul University‘s athletic facilities, past construction crews and the steady hum of renovation work. Not long ago, some of DePaul’s teams had nowhere to call their own, no dedicated locker room to gather in before a game or reset after a tough loss. Today, […]

Most people who work in college athletics for nearly two decades start to look a little worn. The early mornings, the road trips, the endless recruiting calls — it adds up. Ron Pavan is not most people. “Everyone wonders why I smile,” he says, settling into a conversation with the ease of someone who genuinely […]

A high school counselor in New Jersey once accidentally enrolled a sophomore in a junior/senior sports marketing class. The student was Brian Araujo, a teenager of Portuguese descent with a lifelong obsession with soccer. He could have been moved to another class. Instead, he stayed — and something clicked. Sitting among older students, absorbing the […]

Christian Evans still remembers the uncertainty that comes with finding the right lane in a career. Like many college students interested in athletics, he initially explored different paths, including marketing. But it did not take long for him to discover that his strengths were better suited elsewhere. An internship in event operations at the University […]

Richie Grimsley was eight years old the first time he understood that a football stadium could feel like a living thing. His father taught physical education at East Carolina University, his mother worked in a business office across campus, and most weekends the family ended up wandering the concourses of whatever campus was hosting a […]

On a raw February afternoon over three decades ago, a young student trainer stood on the sideline of a Waynesburg University practice field, taping ankles and wondering if he could picture himself doing the same job at fifty. The answer, quietly and without fanfare, was no. That small moment of self-reflection would end up rerouting […]

On game days, most fans notice the scoreboard, the crowd, and the action on the court. Few notice the storage room removed to make way for premium space, the scorer’s table reconfigured to meet new conference rules, or the months of planning required to support a brand-new varsity sport. Athletic Facilities and Operations staff notice […]

Craig Zakrzewski’s path at Wake Forest University is defined by steady growth that mirrors the evolution of collegiate athletics. From his early days as a student manager to his current role as Senior Associate Athletic Director for Capital Projects and Operations, his career reflects both continuity and adaptation. In a landscape shaped by NIL, revenue […]

A career that began behind ticket windows and stadium gates has carried Drew Auguste into one of the most demanding operational seats in collegiate athletics. As associate athletic director for facilities and game operations at Florida International University, he operates in a landscape reshaped by NIL, constant roster and coaching turnover, and a fan base […]

Gerald Jordan’s career in college athletics has been shaped by constant adaptation, but nothing has matched the pace and complexity of the current era. As deputy athletic director for competitive excellence at Louisiana Tech University, Jordan operates at the intersection of facilities, operations, revenue strategy, and student-athlete experience. In a landscape transformed by NIL, conference […]