Greg McVey named new athletic director at College of DuPage
New Director of Athletics and Recreational Programs Greg McVey has a strategic plan designed to increase the involvement of both students and the community in various athletic programming and resources.
"From the facilities and resources to the faculty, staff and students, COD is an impressive institution," he said. "The more I learn, the more I see its impact on the community. I want to wave a flag and tell everyone about all of the great things that COD is doing, and for Chaparral athletics, it needs to start with me."
One of McVey's goals is to work with a fledgling intramurals program to involve more students in athletics.
"We need to determine what activities students want to participate in outside the classroom and give them an opportunity to grow while enjoying themselves," he said.
McVey also wants to build a stronger fan base among students and especially the community, a population that may not be aware of the high quality of athletic programming as well as Chaparral Fitness, an 11,000 square-foot fitness center open to students and community members.
An athlete himself, the Carol Stream resident played baseball at the collegiate level as a pitcher for the Pumas of Saint Joseph's College while earning his Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration.
Although he never played baseball professionally, McVey decided to follow a career in athletics and obtained a Master of Science in Sport Studies from Miami University at Ohio.
He brings 25 years of experience to College of DuPage, and past positions include Associate Director of Athletics at Quincy University in Quincy, Ill.; Director of Athletics at Culver-Stockton College in Canton, Mo.; and, most recently, Director of Athletics and Acting Foundation Director at Jefferson College in Hillsboro, Mo. McVey recognizes the difference between Jefferson College, a two-year Division I school that offers scholarships, and College of DuPage, a non-scholarship, NJCAA Division III school with nine men's and eight women's teams.
"COD is a different animal with a very pure way of approaching athletics," he said. "Everything is accelerated at a two-year college, but you have a chance to develop students in a way that you can't at a four-year institution. One of my goals is to continue engaging student athletes who may have a gap in their development - academically, athletically or socially - and help them fill it before they move on. I enjoy watching that development."
As he begins in his new position, McVey wants to be proactive in developing programming and initiatives while maximizing the experiences of students and athletes.
"I see my first year as progress, not perfection, as I continue to discover what needs to be done," he said. "The more I learn, the more impressed I am with what College of DuPage does for the community.
Learn more about athletics at College of DuPage at www.cod.edu/athletics/index.aspx.