The NCAA has announced the selection of 22 athletics administrators for the 2003-04 NCAA Leadership Institute for Ethnic Minority Males.

This is the third Leadership Institute class selected since the program's creation.

The Institute was designed as a model for ethnic minority athletics administrators to receive training and acquire skill sets necessary to advance to leadership roles in athletics. The program is the result of a recommendation from the NCAA Minority Opportunities and Interests Committee to address the critical shortage of senior-level ethnic minority males involved at the campus and conference levels. According to the NCAA's latest study of race demographics in intercollegiate athletics, minority males held less than 7 percent of positions in athletics administration.

"The NCAA is in a position to provide quality training and leadership skills for those ethnic minority male administrators who, in the normal course of their jobs, may not have an opportunity to be exposed to all the areas the Institute provides," said Rochelle Collins, NCAA director of professional development. "We are proud of the fact that we can assist in adequately preparing individuals to become successful athletics directors or conference commissioners."

The 12-month Leadership Institute, which was established in 2001, will enhance job-related competencies in selected areas through the completion of four professional-development sessions, practical work experiences and a week-long intensive workshop. The participants gain valuable networking experiences and also gain insight into other opportunities within athletics.

The areas of focus include leadership and administration; human resource management; finance and fund-raising; and booster, public and media relations. All sessions are held at the NCAA national office in Indianapolis.

To be eligible for the Leadership Institute, applicants must be nominated from NCAA institutions and conferences, and the applicants are required to submit a current resume, a personal statement and a letter of recommendation.

Upon selection, the participant's institution or conference must provide travel and lodging costs and assist the staff member in completion of practical assignments that enhance the understanding and application of the content areas. Once the participant has completed the Institute, he is eligible to apply for a $2,000 scholarship to defray costs incurred during the 12-month institute period.

Nominations for the 2004-05 Leadership Institute will be solicited in January 2004. For more information, log on to www.ncaa.org or contact Rochelle Collins at 317/917-6222.

NCAA Leadership Institute Class of 2003-04

Sohail Agroatwala, director of academic support -- Troy State University

Curtis Campbell, assistant athletics director -- Kentucky State University

Byron Clark, business manager -- Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis

Timothy Clark, assistant director of education outreach -- NCAA

Nathaniel Colon, freshman football counselor/learning specialist -- Michigan State University

John W. Greene, associate director of development -- Pennsylvania State University

Terrence Hines, associate athletics director -- University of Kansas

Ricardo Hooper, assistant athletics director -- San Jose State University

Christopher Howard, assistant director of enforcement -- NCAA

Machli Joseph, director of athletic facilities and operations -- Bernard M. Baruch College/City University of New York Conference

David Mines, director of special projects -- Ohio Valley Conference

Richard "Pete" Moore, assistant commissioner/marketing and development -- Southern Conference

Paul Patterson, assistant athletics media director -- Augusta State University

Troy Peace, associate director of academic services -- Georgia Institute of Technology

Donald Reed, director of student-athlete services -- Iowa State University

Earl Robinson, assistant athletics director -- Alcorn State University

Jerome Rogers, assistant commissioner for compliance -- Big East Conference

Gary Smith, assistant athletics director -- City College of New York

Leon Smith, director of basketball operations -- University of Kentucky

Bradley Walker, assistant commissioner -- West Coast Conference

Kevin White, associate athletics director for academic support -- Florida State University

Jason Williams, CHAMPS/Life Skills coordinator -- Illinois Wesleyan University