NFL Hall of Famer Kellen Winslow named FAMU AD

Monday afternoon, FAMU’s newly selected President, Elmira Mangum, appointed Kellen Winslow, Sr. as the new athletic director. Winslow will replace Michael Smith, who has served as Interim Athletic Director for the past 10 months after the firing of Derek Horne.

Winslow, who is a highly decorated collegiate and professional athlete, graduated from the University of Missouri with a Bachelor of Science in Counseling Psychology. He later returned to school after his football career to receive his Juris Doctorate from the University of San Diego School of Law in 1993.

During her interview process, Mangum stated that Athletics would be among her top priorities. With that, she also introduced an athletic advisory board who will assist the athletic director in ensuring that decisions have another opportunity for vetting.

 “Ultimately, my intent is for the board to serve as the foundation for building a financial soundness, competitiveness, as well as a robust program across all sanctioned sports and related sport activities,” said Mangum. “To foster that scholarship, performance that drives retention, student success in all aspects of the learning environment and key to that is that the student athlete must always remain at the forefront of our thoughts and actions as it relates to academic success and completion.”

Upon taking the stand during yesterday’s press conference, Winslow addressed the student-athletes directly and said, “I want to know what’s taking place in the classroom. We’re going to change the whole culture about what it means to be a student athlete.”

More than 300 FAMU students participate in 16 varsity sports.  Winslow wants to ensure that the student-athletes will be able to, “Take full advantage of this opportunity. Come to FAMU with the intention of graduating and graduating on time and we will do everything in our realm to support that.”

Winslow will officially take the post of athletic director during the month of May.