Michael McKinney Ed.D. ’02 had his role at Thiel College expanded and title changed to Vice President for Student Life and Athletics in July of 2022.
McKinney began working for his alma mater after graduating in 2002. He started his career as a resident director while attending graduate school at Youngstown State University. McKinney became the Dean of Students and began serving on the President’s Cabinet by the time he was 29. Four years later, he became the Vice President of Student Life.
In October of 2022, McKinney was selected to attend the 2024 NCAA Division III New Athletics Direct Report (ADR) Professional Development Program. The event will be held in January in conjunction with the 2024 NCAA Convention in Phoenix, Arizona.
The purpose of the ADR Professional Development Program is to engage Division III ADRs in best practices to oversee and manage athletics programs and improve the relationship between ADRs and their presidents, athletics directors, and conference commissioners.
The ADR Professional Development Program will focus on enhancing the effectiveness and involvement of the ADR at the campus, conference, and national levels. The program includes networking opportunities and interactive discussions with ADR peers and other expert presenters.
McKinney was recognized as an influential leader in 2016 as one of the Mercer County chambers of commerce’s “40 under Forty.” In 2018, he was among a group of Thiel faculty and staff who were selected by the Council of Independent Colleges to participate in the inaugural Diversity, Civility, and the Liberal Arts Institute. He completed his education doctorate at the University of Pittsburgh, holds a master’s degree in higher education/counseling from Youngstown State University and undergraduate degrees in communication and psychology from Thiel.
