KAPPAS IN SPORTS
NCAA's Hires Derrick Gragg as Senior Vice President of Inclusion, Education and Community Engagement
D r. Derrick Gragg (Nu Rho man in many of his roles. He was at the University of Tulsa in 2020, the first Black athletic director at that school, when the call came in for a job he says would change his life. 'About to lead a movement' Gragg was Vice President and Direc- tor of Athletics at Tulsa and had been talking to Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren about possibly making a move there. About the same time, Warren, the first Black commissioner of the Big Ten 1990) would forge success in college athletics administra- tion, becoming the first Black or any major sports conference, had been asked by NCAA president Mark Emmert for some help. The NCAA was looking to fill a high- profile position centered on diversity and inclusion. Warren agreed to be on the search committee and mentioned to Gragg that the post was open. That was in May. Less than a week later on May 25, George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man, was killed in Minneapolis while being arrested for allegedly using a counterfeit bill. "That's when everything in the social justice arena really began to pick up," said Gragg, 51. "The job went from improving diversity and inclusion to one that would become the most impactful throughout college athletics and higher education. To me, it took on a different meaning." The NCAA represents 1,100 schools. So many students and athletes he could touch. He could truly change lives, Gragg thought. "If you are fortunate enough to get this position, that job in Tulsa will be the last job you had," someone told Gragg on his final interview for the NCAA position. "You are about to join, to lead a movement."
A Champion for Women and People of Color
"I want to be a champion for women, for people of color, for all those under- represented groups," he said. "I want to see more women coaches and admin- istrators, more coaches of color. I want to see fairness and educate athletes on inclusion. When I no longer am in this role, I want to look back and be able to see all that I have done to advance those groups." Mother, Son Pioneers A woman, Gragg said, was and still is the most prominent person in his life. Glenda Malone was a trailblazer who helped integrate Butler High School in Huntsville, Alabama. Butler was one of Huntsville's first public high schools to integrate, begin- ning in the spring of 1964 with two students. In 1965, Malone went in with about 30 other students and did her part. "Of course, they didn't want us there. The school was plastered with rebel flags," Malone said. "At any rate, I learned to deal with different people than I had ever been dealing with be- fore." Gragg said his mom downplays the gravity of what she did. "You can imagine the experience that she had back then and it was one that was fairly traumatic as you can imagine," Gragg said. "She was a pioneer. It really helped build who she was and me com- ing behind her being a pioneer myself a lot of times. Everywhere I've gone I've either been the first or one of the first African Americans to hold my position." In addition to his job at Tulsa, Gragg was Athletics Director at Eastern Michigan and served in various leader- ship roles at the University of Arkansas, including Deputy Athletics Director. He also worked at Michigan, Missouri and Vanderbilt. Those who knew Gragg as a young-
Dr. Derrick Gragg (Nu Rho 1990).
After more than two decades in college athletics administration, Gragg began as the NCAA’s Senior Vice President for Inclusion, Education and Community Engagement last October. His role, as he sees it, covers so much. “As a former student-athlete and 27- year intercollegiate athletics administra- tor, I have dedicated my entire career to the betterment of young people,” Gragg said. “During this historic era in our country, I look forward to supporting our student-athletes, engaging coaches and staff members, as well as working with our membership to identify ways to en- sure that diversity, equity and inclusion are reflected on all levels. I am honored to be entrusted with this responsibility and look forward to identifying ways to help unite our 1,100 institutions to make a significant impact on higher edu- cation and our country as a whole.” "The one thing I always say, 'I represent the underrepresented,'" he said. "That's obviously people of color, women, people with disabilities, our international student athletes, our LGBTQ(IA+) community. I want to see people from underrepresented popula- tions get more opportunities for suc- cess."
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