Conn hires assistant director of athletics
A seasoned athletics administrator, Maureen "Mo" White, has joined Connecticut College as assistant director of athletics for business operations.
White, who has served as the director of athletics at the United States Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, New York, for the past three years, was selected after a competitive national search.
White previously worked at Mitchell College for 16 years, including 10 years as director of athletics, where she oversaw the school's successful transition from junior college athletic status to NCAA Division III.
"The addition of Mo to our department is an incredible opportunity," said Fran Shields, the Katherine Wenk Christoffers ’45 Director of Athletics at Connecticut College.
"Mo brings over 20 years of experience in academic, athletic, business and strategic planning at the higher education level. This experience, combined with her vast network of professional relationships, will immediately pay dividends for our coaches and student-athletes."
White, a longtime resident of Stonington, Connecticut, said she is looking forward to the opportunity to support the Camel athletic program.
"It has been a longterm goal of mine to work in the NESCAC, and given my life-long association with Connecticut College, this move feels like coming home," she said.
White’s tenure at Mitchell was transformative for the institution. Transitioning from the department chair of Mitchell's Sport Management program and head men's tennis coach from 2003 to 2005, White was named interim director of athletics in the 2004-05 academic year, a year in which the school began the formal process of applying for NCAA membership. She was promoted to the permanent role in 2006, and during her 10 years, the college realized NCAA Division III status, a new conference affiliation with the New England College Conference (NECC), 10 NECC championships and four NCAA berths.
In the same period, several student-athlete indices saw improvement. Student-athlete numbers grew by 60 percent, grade point averages improved by 27 percent, retention improved by 35 percent, and graduation rates increased by seven percent.
Mitchell Director of Athletics Dana Fulmer Garfield, who worked with White during this important time for Mariner athletics, said she is "looking forward to collaborating with her friend and mentor and to continue to strengthen the ties between Connecticut College and Mitchell College."
In 2016, White was hired by the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy to embark on an initiative to undergo a comprehensive evaluation of the academy's athletics program. She created an inclusive team approach within her staff, oversaw NCAA compliance, branding, budgets and staffing. White also developed a rivalry experience with the U.S. Coast Guard Academy that resulted in a partnership with ESPN to televise their annual Secretaries Cup football game.
Coast Guard Director of Athletics Tim Fitzpatrick called White "one of the finest, most talented college athletics administrators in America."
"I have had the distinct pleasure of working with her during my tenure at the Coast Guard Academy and have been consistently impressed with her leadership, professionalism, work ethic, desire to build winning programs and ongoing advocacy for student-athletes and their well-being," Fitzpatrick said. "She is truly respected by colleagues in our profession both regionally and nationally."
