About the June Stewart Leadership Series Podcasts & Webinars (Below)
Ep 01 June Stewart Leadership Series Podcast, November 25, 2019
Podcast with John Currie, Wake Forest Director of Athletics
with host
Trip Durham, 2D Consulting, LLC
Trip Durham
John Currie
An innovative and award-winning leader in intercollegiate athletics, John Currie returned to his alma mater and became Wake Forest's sixth athletic director in school history when he was named to the position on March 3, 2019.
Currie is just the third individual to hold the Wake Forest AD position since 1964. He previously served as director of athletics at Kansas State University (2009-17) and at the University of Tennessee (2017). In 2013, he earned the Under Armour Athletic Director of the Year honor.
In this dynamic and thought-provoking podcast for CoSIDA members, Currie talks about how he, from an internship in the Wake Forest athletic development office, became a leader in college sports and how he always attempted to "manage up"; how he's lived in 10 different houses and his children have attended four different schools as he built his career; keys to building relationships; the importance of collaborating and distinguishing yourself as a leader in your department and on campus; preparing and managing expectations and what those expectations are; what the AD needs from the communications staff; the value SIDs bring to the campus and the "transformative impact" that athletic communications plays as part of the overall campus mission.
Known for building strong leadership teams, Currie offers his vision for best in class leadership in college athletics for athletic communications professionals.
You'll hear from Currie's on:
- Why his career path has made him much more valuable to Wake Forest today than if he had stayed at his alma mater and built his career. This includes driving around Western Kansas and visting feed lots and combine harvesters to understand and feel the people and the core/history of the Kansas State tradition.
- Striking a balance between the history of where you are and the work of your predecessors, and the new approaches you want to implement.
- "Leadership is service."
- "We are all stagehands in intercollegiate athletics as student-athletes and coaches are the stars of the show; we are putting our coaches and student-athletes in a position to succeed and perform."
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About the June Stewart Leadership Series Podcast
CoSIDA debuted the June Stewart Leadership Series in the Fall of 2019 as part of our year-round professional development and continuing education program for our members.
This series adds to our existing professional development initiatives and is named in honor of the late June Stewart who served as CoSIDA's first female president during the 1990-91 academic year. Stewart was a longtime Vanderbilt University administrator and a pioneer for women in college athletics. The series was created in honor of Stewart's great leadership, her love and commitment to the profession and her legacy in giving back to CoSIDA.
This special June Stewart Series showcases noted speakers and experts who will address CoSIDA members on timely communications and leadership topics and issues.
Designed exclusively for CoSIDA members, this series of webinars and podcasts will offer perspectives on leadership and perspectives on managing and directing collegiate athletic communications.
Click here to read more about CoSIDA Hall of Famer
June Stewart.