Maximize Your Return on Athletics‪®‬ NAIA

Unlocking the Value of Intercollegiate Athletics
How it can support enrollment growth, financial sustainability, and student success

Intercollegiate athletics has always played an important role in the campus culture and identity of an institution. As student demographics have dramatically shifted, however, athletics programs have also become increasingly important drivers of enrollment growth, as well as contributors to the financial viability of institutions.

In this 20-minute UB Ed Talk, Dr. Roger Drake, president of Central Methodist University, and Jim Carr, president and CEO of NAIA, discuss the increasing value of athletics, and outline some practical insights for unlocking its potential to support enrollment, student success, and financial sustainability.

In this episode, hear from Lourdes University's Janet Eaton-Smith, VP of Athletics, Jo Ann Gordon, Associate AD/Compliance Officer, and Dr. Michael McCormick, Chief Information Officer.

Learn how these administrators utilize ROA in the university's strategic plan to "increase the use of athletics as an enrollment driver and campus vitality stimulator." As a new sports program, they share how the ROA Insights would've been beneficial during the start-up process and the KPIs that they are currently focusing on. They also provide insight into the importance of focusing on data to drive decisions within small college/university athletics and higher education.

In this episode, hear from Darnell Smith, the Athletic Director at Texas A&M University-San Antonio.

Darnell Smith explains how he's been able to build an athletic department from scratch and how he's utilizing ROA's tools and resources at the institution. Smith has a background in the NCAA; he provides insight into how the NAIA's ROA tools differentiate from what was available at the NCAA.

In this episode, you will hear from Nathan Cochran, Athletic Director at Xavier University of Louisiana.

The university is an established member of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU). Cochran provides insight into the institution's background and how being an athletic director at a small HBCU college finds opportunities within ROA. Learn how XULA utilizes KPIs from the ROA tools and resources and the differentiators that ROA provides compared to the NCAA.

In this episode, you will hear from Indiana Tech's Jessie Biggs, Director of Athletics, and David Bokhart, Associate Athletics Director for Compliance and Administration.

Learn about the institution's background and how they're implementing ROA's tools and resources. They also provide insight into how the institution is utilizing ROA data and much more!