G. Anthony Grant has been named MIT’s new athletic director and head of the Department of Athletics, Physical Education, and Recreation (DAPER).
“This role is a big one, and I am excited for Dr. Grant as he begins an exciting new phase of his career, and for the MIT community as we welcome a new leader to our team,” says Suzy M. Nelson, vice president and dean for student life.
Grant joins MIT from Metropolitan State University (MSU Denver) in Colorado, where he has been director of athletics. In more than four years at MSU Denver, Grant worked very closely with student-athletes and university leadership to align the athletics department’s values with those of the university overall. Grant also collaborated with internal and external constituents to develop a three-year strategic plan that set the department’s future direction.
“It is an honor to be selected as the director of athletics and department head of DAPER at MIT,” says Grant. “I would like to thank Suzy Nelson, Judy Robinson, and the members of the search committee for this tremendous opportunity. There is important work being done in DAPER and the Division of Student Life. I am eager to collaborate with faculty, staff, students, and supporters to continue to build on the academic and athletic success that has been established within the department, as well as to provide a service to the broader community as it relates to promoting an environment of health and wellness throughout campus.”
In competition, teams in Grant’s program were competitive and successful in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC), as well as on the regional and national level within NCAA Division II. The program also boasted an excellent academic record, with an average of 78 student-athletes on the athletic director’s honor roll each semester. These academic achievements rank among Grants’ proudest achievements during his MSU Denver tenure.
As a thought leader among collegiate athletic directors, Grant committed himself to supporting underrepresented minority student-athletes and administrators by serving on the NCAA Minority Opportunities and Interests Committee, and the RMAC Diversity and Inclusion Committee. Before MSU Denver, Grant held positions of increasing responsibility in the athletic departments at Millersville University, Pennsylvania, and the University of Iowa, where he completed his PhD. He also holds a bachelor’s degree from Penn State University and a master’s from Temple University.
