In this episode, Matt discusses the tremendous growth of Northwestern’s athletics program since he returned to his alma mater in 1999. He also discusses his dual role of vice president for student life and athletics, leadership and UNW’s Eagle Success Program.
Dr. Matt Hill has been a Northwestern employee since 1999 and has been in his current position of vice president for student life and athletics since 2009. While overseeing the areas of student development, student success and retention and campus ministries as the university’s chief student development officer, Hill directs the day-to-day operations of Northwestern’s athletics department.
In his role as the director of athletics, Hill has been influential in the growth of the department both on the field or court of competition and in the classroom. He spearheaded Northwestern’s transition to the NCAA Division III while also instituting programs like the Eagle Success Program (ESP) and the Athletic Leadership Institute (ALI). Hill started as the assistant director of athletics for one year before being promoted to the school’s athletics director position in 2000. Dr. Alan Cureton elevated Hill to his current role of vice president and a member of the executive leadership team in 2009.
Hill is the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) sport liaison for football and is a member of the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) national board, where he served as president in 2012-2013. In addition, he holds memberships in CoSIDA and NACDA. Prior to Northwestern becoming an NCAA-member school, Hill was selected as the NAIA Region III Athletic Director of the Year in 2003.
Some of Hill’s noted achievements include starting Northwestern’s SOAR campaign ($11 million capital improvement project for athletic facilities), overseeing the school’s top division in the Star Tribune Top Workplace survey and leading the institution into Division III membership.
Hill came back to Northwestern as an employee in the summer of 1999 after earning his degree in 1989 with a bachelor’s degree in marketing while lettering in football, wrestling, cross country and track and field. He received a master’s degree in business administration and teaching from Drake University in 1993 before completing his Doctor of Education (Ed. D.) degree in educational leadership at Saint Mary’s University (Minn.) in 2007.
[Courtesy: University of Northwestern athletics web site]
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