WMVO Good Times Great Oldies
GAMBIER, Ohio — After a dozen years of providing leadership, strategy and support, Justin Newell, Kenyon College’s Associate Director of Athletics, submitted his letter of resignation and accepted the position of Vice President and Director of Athletics at Knox College, an NCAA Division III institution in Galesburg, Illinois.
“It is with mixed emotions that I’ve decided to move on from Kenyon College,” Newell said. “I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to have worked alongside such talented and dedicated colleagues. The experiences that I have gained and the relationships I have built here on the Hill will always hold a special place in my heart.”
Newell’s last day at Kenyon is slated for January 31 and his first day at Knox will be February 3.
Since arriving on campus in the summer of 2012, Newell has taken on many roles. He was hired as the Assistant Athletics Director and Director of the Kenyon Athletic Center (now Lowry Center) and he will depart after serving, for three years, as the College’s Associate Director of Athletics, focusing on alumni and community engagement. In between, he maintained his sport oversight duties, took the lead on NCAA compliance, collaborated on construction projects, strengthened relationships with other campus departments and earned top leadership roles with the Collegiate Event and Facility Management Association (CEFMA) and with the NCAA Division III Men’s Soccer Selection Committee.
“Justin has played a role in just about every area of our Athletics department,” Jill McCartney, Kenyon’s Director of Athletics, Fitness and Recreation, said. “He brings passion, energy and humor to our day-to-day work, and he takes ownership and pride in the management of our events—no matter whether it’s a conference championship game or a community fundraiser. A true Division III professional, he’s shown an appetite for growth, always pursuing ways for continual improvement as a leader and a colleague in our department.”
Prior to his work at Kenyon, Newell was Director of Facilities at Tulane University, where he worked for four years. Before that, he spent three years at Jacksonville University, where he served as Facility and Operations Director.
Newell received his bachelor’s of science degree from the University of Delaware in 2002 and, in 2006, graduated with a master’s of education in sports administration from Millersville University.