Collected Wisdom - Erin Mykleby

Collected Wisdom is a series of interviews featuring insights from Small College athletic administrators around the country. Thanks to Erin Mykleby , Assistant Athletic Director at St. Leo University for agreeing to participate this week.

How did you get started in Athletics? I first got started in college athletics as a student-athlete on the swim team in college and what I truly enjoyed most about my experience was the strong relationship I had with our athletic director. I ended up graduating as an education major and have always loved helping others, but college athletics quickly became the perfect blend of teaching and mentoring for me and with it being such a big part of the profession, I fell in love with it. The real joy of leadership occurs when you see the satisfaction felt by other individuals when they achieve more than they ever thought they could.

Prior to working at Saint Leo you were on the NACDA staff in Ohio. What was your role there? At NACDA, I served as liaison to a number of NACDA affiliate organizations including the NAAC, N4A, D2ADA, and D2CCA. I feel very fortunate and grateful that I had the chance early in my career to work as a staff intern at NACDA. The unique experience not only changed my life in regards to the numerous opportunities and relationships it helped facilitate but the organization continues to enrich my professional life to this day.

What led you from NACDA to St. Leo? The main influence that brought me from NACDA to Saint Leo was the director of athletics, Fran Reidy. He has been a motivating and inspiring champion in my life since day one. His integrity, patience, and intelligence is truly unmatched. Fun fact: Fran is also a BOSCA alum and raved about the event so much after attending that he insisted I go the following year.

What are your primary responsibilities as the Asst. A.D. for Marketing, Sponsorship & Community Engagement? Like at most small schools, my job requires me to wear a number of hats, but work primarily on the external side. I currently serve as the department’s liaison with Saint Leo’s University Advancement team. I also coordinate various fundraising initiatives, as well as secure corporate sponsorships, and community engagement. I also oversee the marketing & promotions for all the athletic events and serve as the SAAC advisor.

Community engagement is so important for small college athletic departments. What works well for you in this area at SLU?

Two of the main things I have learned to develop community engagement are simply…

1.You have to develop relationships.

2.You have to listen to people.

Ever try something that just didn’t work in terms of sponsorships or engagement approaches? Of course, disappointments happen frequently as you try new things but I am learning that the balance of confidence and humility is key. Everything becomes meaningful when you have the ability to ask… “What can I learn from this?”

For example, particularly starting out in my new position here at Saint Leo, I felt I was trying too hard to sell Saint Leo to supporters and the community when in reality, the university and its incredible student-athletes actually sell themselves. All I needed to do was just tell their story and get people on campus.

How do you balance the requirements of your job with your personal life? What I found out about this profession very quickly is that is both a very personal and professional affair. The main thing I do to maintain balance is to leave room in my life for activities that make me happy such as playing beach volleyball and getting a good work-out in. I learned the hard way to work harder on myself than I do on my job, because I believe if you work harder on yourself, you can make a “life” instead of a “living.”

What advice would you give to a young person wanting a career in college athletics? My advice to anyone is always work hard and be kind. Also, write thank you notes! It is remarkable how a hand written note showing appreciation for any opportunity big or small can go a long way.

How does your experience as a former collegiate student-athlete impact the way that you approach your job? Being a former collegiate student-athlete not only impacts my approach to my job, but my way of life as well. I wasn’t one of those people who saw the light; I had to feel the heat. Each day is truly a grind and just like when I was swimming in the pool, I have to be on the top of my game every day or else anything could happen, anyone could beat me to the wall. Taking responsibility for my actions and competing are two things I know I can control in every situation.

You work as a liaison to the University Advancement office. What are the keys to success here? Communication and transparency are key when creating a good working relationship between Athletics and Advancement. I have found that meeting with Advancement regularly is imperative in order to help them understand your world a little better, as well as listen to what is going on in their world as well.

What is your favorite part of your job ? My favorite part of my job is working with the student-athletes and working towards providing a better experience for them. That is truly what sets my soul on fire. Whether I am fundraising or getting fans to the games, it’s all about enhancing the student-athlete experience in my eyes.

What is the biggest challenge in your job? As a fierce competitor, I always want to be the best. As a result, I make it a point to set goals and work towards them. However, the biggest challenge of this job and any job is accepting the fact that you can’t do everything and you have to trust others and work with them to move those goals and the organization forward.

Who are some of your mentors/people that have encourage you along the way? There are a number of people who have supported me. The entire NACDA staff has been instrumental in my journey thus far, as well as my college professor at the University of Iowa and dear friend, Dan Matheson. My professional family at Saint Leo and my close colleagues around the country have also graciously embraced me at times when I needed them most.

What do you do to continue to grow professionally? I continue to grow professionally by continuing to learn. I read as much as I can of the New York Times in the morning, as well as any college athletics related article I can get my hands on. I also take the time to journal my thoughts and stay connected to those who I trust the most in the business. Attending events such as BOSCA and the NACDA Convention have also been instrumental in my growth professionally. Networking is imperative!

Favorite quote/motto? “If you aren’t getting better, you are getting worse. There is no staying the same.”

You have attended the Business of Small College Athletics (BOSCA) workshop in the past. What would you tell someone who was considering attending? I would tell anyone and everyone that BOSCA is a must to attend if you are serious about growing professionally and going back to your campus more equipped to fundraise. The greatest testimony I can give to anyone about how helpful BOSCA is comes from our recent Saint Leo Athletics Friends and Family Giving Challenge. With the help of our incredible friends, family, and alumni, we were able to raise over $116,000+ This was an idea that I got from BOSCA and the knowledge and resources that I picked up at the workshop helped me turn this crowdfunding project into a reality!