Northwestern University Announces First-of-its-kind Leadership Development Program for Collegiate Coaches

Kellogg Coaches Leadership Academy formalizes partnership between Northwestern University's Department of Athletics and Recreation and Kellogg School of Management

CHICAGO, April 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Northwestern University announced the Kellogg Coaches Leadership Academy, a first of its kind program aimed at providing business and leadership training specifically designed for collegiate coaches.

The innovative program will equip coaches with the leadership and management tools necessary to address the evolving world of intercollegiate athletics, as they now function as organizational leaders, strategic planners, and business managers in addition to their traditional roles as technical specialists, teachers and mentors. The new program was spearheaded by Northwestern's new Combe Family Vice President for Athletics and Recreation, Mark Jackson, who joined the University in 2024. Jackson saw an opportunity to collaborate with Northwestern's world-renowned Kellogg School of Management to help benefit current and future head coaches.

"At Northwestern, we have very talented coaches that inspire excellence and develop our student-athletes in extraordinary ways every day," said Jackson. "What better way to invest in the talents of our coaches than by tapping into the world-class faculty right here at Northwestern. The Kellogg Coaches Leadership Academy will help further train our coaches and staff in the critical skills needed in today's collegiate athletic world."

The Academy will include curriculum in business analytics, crisis management, dynamic relationship shifts, complex negotiations and selling in uncertain situations. The Academy is being underwritten by former student-athlete Harreld N. "Kip" Kirkpatrick III '94, '97 MBA and his wife, Sara Kirkpatrick. Kip Kirkpatrick was a three-year starter on the Northwestern men's basketball team and is a University Trustee and a member of the Kellogg Global Advisory Board. He currently serves as the Co-CEO of The Vistria Group, a middle market private investment firm that seeks to deliver both superior financial returns and meaningful impact.

"Today's collegiate coaches are essentially CEOs of complex organizations," said Kirkpatrick. "They manage multi-million-dollar budgets, lead diverse staffs, and navigate complex, new regulatory environments, all while expected to compete at the highest levels of sport. As both a business leader and a former student-athlete, I see tremendous opportunity in sports leadership, and this new program brings to coaches a business and sports framework and leadership strategies that will be critical to future success. Sara and I are so impressed with Northwestern's coaches and love that they, along with Mark, recognize that their impact extends far beyond wins and losses—they're developing the next generation of leaders, and they deserve the best professional development tools available."

The new Kellogg Coaches Leadership Academy formalizes the relationship between the Northwestern University Department of Athletics and Recreation and Kellogg School of Management, creating another way for the Department to positively impact the lives of exceptional student-athletes.

"Northwestern is an extraordinary community," said Francesca Cornelli, Dean of Kellogg School of Management. "Kellogg currently collaborates with several schools within the University, including medicine, law and engineering to infuse business discipline and leadership training. We are thrilled to partner with Northwestern Athletics to support the coaches, staff and student-athletes."

The inaugural cohort will include head coaches and key staff from all 21 of Northwestern's varsity programs. The Academy will launch in August, coinciding with the start of the 2025-26 academic year.

Kate Drohan, Head Coach of Northwestern's Softball program and a member of the inaugural cohort, expressed enthusiasm for the initiative, stating, "The business of college athletics has never been more complex. Having access to world-class faculty from our business school will give our coaching staff tools that directly translate to program success while continuing to create a remarkable experience for our student-athletes."

SOURCE Northwestern University Athletics