In this episode, Mike Hermann recounts his career journey that includes several stops at the Division I level through his current position at NAIA KWU. Mike compares and contrasts his varied experiences and also offers great advice on leadership and career advancement.
Mike Hermann has been the Director of Athletics at Kansas Wesleyan since July 2013. Hermann brings an impressive track record to KWU – with more than 30 years of higher education experience to the position – including Director of Athletics roles at Towson University and Niagara University. Most recently he served as the Associate Director of Athletics at Seattle University.
While at Seattle, Hermann helped increase fundraising efforts, basketball attendance, broadcast and corporate partnerships, and contributed to the leadership team that returned the university to NCAA Division I status. Seattle joined the Western Athletic Conference in 2012-13. In his four years with Towson, Hermann directed 20 sports programs, including several that earned NCAA bids or won Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) titles. He guided a rebuilding of the football program, which went on to earn the program’s first NCAA playoff berth in 2011, earning the new head coach NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) Coach of the Year honors.
At Niagara, the NCAA graduation success rate under Hermann was higher than the national average at 89 percent, and 99 percent of student-athletes completing eligibility over a 10-year period graduated. During his time at Towson University, student-athlete graduation rates were at 76 percent – 11 percent higher than the student body. In Hermann’s final three semesters with the university, the student athletes averaged above a 3.00 GPA. In 2010, 14 student-athletes were honored with the Tiger Athletics Scholar Medallion for completing their undergraduate career with a 3.5 or higher GPA. Six students were also honored as part of ESPN Academic teams and several others received post-season academic recognition.
Hermann’s dedication to student-athletes on and off the field will give KWU the opportunity to flourish within the community and beyond.
Hermann has been involved in numerous committees for the NCAA, including the NCAA Division I Leadership Council, the Football Championship Regional Advisory Committee, and the NCAA Men’s Golf Committee.
Hermann holds a Bachelor of Arts from John Carroll University and a Master of Arts from Kent State University.
[Courtesy: KWU Athletics]
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