Parent Association

Interview with Mark Wilson

 

Lillie Boydston – Where have your worked up until this point?

Mark Wilson – I am from Maine, but my career in college athletics started at Northwestern University where I did an internship in tickets and marketing. Next, I went to the University of Massachusetts for their Sports Management Program where I worked as a graduate assistant in sports information and game management. The Athletic Director hired me right out of grad school to be his Director of Athletic Marketing. After that, I went to Ohio University to work on the fundraising side of athletics for eight years.

There I progressed to Associate Athletic Director and eventually Senior Associate Athletic Director for External Relations. I came to Tennessee Tech in 2004 and have been here since. I love Cookeville, Tennessee Tech, Tennessee and the region. I love our students, particularly the student-athletes, and what we stand for at Tennessee Tech in terms of education and educational opportunities.

When I interviewed, I instantly felt Tech was like a family. I felt a sense of care and kindness from the people on campus and in the community, so it’s important to me to continue to foster and simulate that. Even through any challenges, trials or tribulations that we may have, we always try to do it in a family atmosphere. I want to make sure the athletes know they are part of something bigger than themselves, and bigger than the program.

Division I athletics is very difficult. These students have to balance the high expectations of classroom achievement on top of achieving on the playing field. I applaud our student-athletes that can maintain that level of intensity and focus and finish here.

LB – What is your role as the Director of Athletics? What does your day-to-day life look like?

MW – No day is the same as each day offers different opportunities and challenges. My job is the complete oversight of everything athletics. That includes all 15 of our sports programs, administrative areas, business operations, ticket sales, marketing, promotions, facilities and everything else. I am very involved in providing leadership and mentorship and directing our focus to putting academics first. When we recruit young athletes, we expect them to earn a degree from Tennessee Tech. If they don’t, then we are selling them short.

LB – Tell us about your athletic history and how that helps you facilitate this role.

MW – When I was growing up, I wanted to go into mechanical engineering. I was recruited to play Division III soccer at some small schools in Maine. I ultimately decided that I wanted more out of my collegiate experience, so I decided to attend the University of Maine. My senior year I had a severe knee injury playing soccer and had to have surgery. My physical education teacher doubled as my physical therapist. Working with him, I learned a lot about athletics and the human body. When I started at the University of Maine, I actually changed my major to Physical Education and Health because of him. College athletics was not on my radar at this point, but my freshmen year I decided to walk on to the track team just because I was bored. There I met Walt Abbott, who is my greatest mentor to this day. He asked me to take one of his Outdoor Leadership classes. Several years later, Walt called me and asked if I would be interested in an internship at Northwestern. A few weeks later my dad was dropping me off in Evanston with a few duffle bags full of clothes and my bike. That’s when my career started.

LB – The Golden Eagle student-athletes have an overall GPA of 3.305 according to TTU Sports. How does the Athletic Department help student-athletes maintain high academics while on the road?

MW – It’s tough, because they are missing class a lot, but we try to set the groundwork as soon as athletes become students at Tennessee Tech. Dr. Leveda Birdwell does an amazing job running our athletic academic advising department. We have tutors for every subject and coaches allow study time while on the road, as well. We have a WIN program called Work Intensely Now that student-athletes have to earn their way out of with their grades.

LB – How do you encourage athletes to maintain the college-student and college-athlete life?

MW – We encourage them to make free time. Make time for themselves and make time with their friends and enjoy being a student. It is difficult to do, you almost have to carve out time for your mental health. It’s easier when the sport is not in season, of course. But we have student-athletes that are in sororities, fraternities, Fellowship of Christian Athletes and many other organizations. I’d say that most organizations on campus have student-athletes that are a part of them.

LB – What advice do you have for student-athletes, and students in general?

MW – You never know who is watching. Back when I was taking the Outdoor Leadership class with Walt Abbott at the University of Maine, we went on a white-water canoeing trip. We got to a waterfall where the canoes couldn’t make it, so they were all going to have to be hand carried the next morning. So, in the middle of the night, a colleague and I carried all of the canoes through the forest and to the bottom of the waterfall so that everyone on the trip wouldn’t have to wake up to that job. It wasn’t until 30 years later that I found out that that’s the moment that he knew he wanted to hire me. I didn’t do that for any accolades, I just wanted to make sure that everyone had an enjoyable trip. So, my message to athletes and students is that you never know when you are going to make an impression on someone.

LB – What is your favorite sport at Tech and which sport deserves more recognition?

MW – Every sport that wears purple and gold is my favorite. Really, it’s who am I cheering for that day? I think that all of our sports deserve more recognition. They are all underrated and underrecognized in terms of the efforts they make to represent Tennessee Tech.

LB – What are some ways that parents can support Golden Eagle Athletics?

MW – Encourage your students to come to the games! I understand sports are not for everybody, but come once in a while. All games are free for Tech students with their Eagle Card. The only sports that we charge the general public for are basketball and football, the rest are complimentary. I can tell you that the more people that are cheering our student athletes on, the better they play.

LB – In your almost 20 years of being the director, how have you seen Tech athletics grow and where do you hope to see it in the future?

MW – We have grown a lot in terms of our academic success. When I first arrived, the overall GPA was below a 3.0. Now, I don’t know how many consecutive semesters that we have been above that. I am really proud of the academic growth of the department as a whole. As far as where do I hope we will be? I am looking forward to the new facility renovations and constructions. And of course, winning. I want to see more OVC championships.

LB – What are some of your hobbies that most people wouldn’t know about?

MW – It is very difficult to have time for hobbies. But, when I’m not watching sports or traveling on behalf of the university, you’ll probably find me at the lake. I love time on the water; it’s our family thing that we do when we are not cheering on the Golden Eagles. 

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