Four key Drexel club sports staff members resigned from their positions this past June through Sept. Some club sports staff positions still remain vacant as we near the end of the fall term while other key roles have been filled.
Matthew Moran, former club sports coordinator, was the first staff member to resign on June 3 of this year. In his final email to student club sport leaders, Moran wrote “I want [to] again thank you all for your hard work and dedication to your clubs…It is very bittersweet to be moving on, but I know this program will continue to thrive and accomplish great things.”
A little over a month later, former Club Sports Assistant Director Kristen Sullivan sent an email to student club sports officers stating her resignation that eventually took place July 26. Sullivan was at Drexel for only 14 months, but helped implement an organized tier system to track club sport engagement.
One month later, Bridget Wiseley, former Head Athletic Trainer, and Andrew Flanigan, former Assistant Athletic Trainer, sent an email to the same student club sports leaders announcing their resignation. Wiseley was part of the club sports staff for over a decade, and sent a very heartfelt message expressing her gratitude towards her experience as a Dragon. Flanigan’s last day as the Assistant Athletic Trainer was Aug. 30 and Wiseley’s last day as the Head Athletic Trainer was Sept. 8.
With four key positions left vacant, it was up to James Rogers, newly made Director of University Recreation, to handle the hiring process of a brand new staff with the fall term approaching.
Rogers introduced Orlin Jespersen, new Assistant Director of Intramural and Club Sports on Oct. 2 to student club sports officers in an email. Before becoming a Dragon, Jespersen worked in leadership roles at Cabrini University for almost 20 years – most notably working as the Senior Associate Director of Athletics and Recreation for Operations and External Affairs.
Most recently, Zachary Apt, newly made Club Sports Manager, was introduced to student club sports officers by Jespersen on Oct. 30.
I think the question many are eager to know is: why were these positions left so abruptly and all almost simultaneously? And how have the vacant positions affected clubs sports teams processes and procedures? There are many questions left unanswered about the former leaders, however, with new leadership in place, I think it is safe to say all club sports athletes are excited to see what, or who, is to come in the future.