… in conversation … Interview by Tina Owen
Since Valerie Cleary joined Willamette in April as the new athletics director, she’s won over the campus community with her energy, passion and enthusiasm for the Bearcats. > What does an athletics director do? My job is to ensure that we provide student-athletes the best possible experience. Obviously, that starts with coaches — supporting them with the tools they need, such as facilities. And, as Willamette puts the priority on being a student-athlete, the athletics department helps students be successful and competitive in and out of the classroom, off and on the field. On the business side, I run the athletics department. So I get to go to meetings and to games. > Unlike most athletics directors, you weren’t a student-athlete. Why did you get into this field? I’m so far from what anyone would consider an athlete — I tried volleyball for about a minute! But I love working with students. After earning a master’s in counseling, with a focus on student development in higher education, I worked in admissions at Pacific University, directed student-athlete enhancement programs at Boise State University and most recently was interim athletics director at Portland State University. I love forming a strong bond with students we serve, getting to know them and their families. Working in admissions, I only saw students at the beginning of their university journey. I love knowing I’ll see these Willamette student-athletes from their first Bearcat Day to graduation. I tell this year’s freshmen: “You’re my first class of Bearcats; you’ll always be my first class of Bearcats.” > What’s life like for a student-athlete? Student-athletes make up about one-fourth of the student population, and they bring something extraordinarily special to our campus. They show what Willamette students can do both in the classroom and on the athletic field. Student-athletes may be involved with theater, working in the library, being a community mentor and taking advantage of leadership opportunities — in addition to all the practices, workouts, competitions and travel for their particular
sport. Plus, they’re held to a different standard because they represent Willamette on a national stage. On the positive side, they join a built-in team. They don’t have to worry about making new friends, as they already have people with shared experiences. > What’s the best part of your job? I get so much energy from being around the student-athletes. Sometimes I’ll go and sit in the gym and watch them practice. I’m still on my phone answering emails, but I get to see the coaches and the athletes doing what they love. > Your husband, Tim, is head men’s basketball coach at Pacific University. How will you cope when Willamette plays Pacific? My husband attended Willamette as a freshman in ’89 and played basketball for coach Gordie James. But, we are a house divided. I take it very personally — I’m such a passionate fan. I don’t even know if I’ll be able to be in the gym when we play Pacific — I might just have to pace outside in the hall. Instead of cardinal and gold, maybe I should just wear black and be neutral. But anyone who knows me knows I can’t be that! > What’s your vision for the future of Willamette athletics? Willamette is going to be the school in the conference that people go, “Where did they come from?” Everything is already here — great coaches, staff and student-athletes. With just a few little adjustments, we’ll be a force to be reckoned with. At Willamette, we’re a family — and even more so in athletics. It’s not about individual teams; we bring something special to the table as a collective. That’s why we had special T-shirts made. The front says, “I Am Willamette,” while the back says, “We Are Bearcats.”
WILLAMETTE UNIVERSITY
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