Dr. Kurt Patberg was recently on the Lee University campus and delivered a challenging message to the university's athletes. He is currently the senior vice president for Athletic Staffing Consultants and has over 30 years of college athletic experience both on campus and in conference commissioner positions in the NCAA and in the NAIA.
Prior to joining ASC, Patberg exhibited expertise in several areas and has consulted in many different functions of small college athletics on topics ranging from conference affiliation and expansion, to NCAA and NAIA transitions, to feasibility of football, to the use of athletics to drive admissions and retention at enrollment driven institutions.
Prior to joining the SSAC, Patberg spent seven years as the general manager of Competitive Resources which at the time was the leading career and placement service in the country for persons with competitive athletic experiences.
During that time, he also assisted in the areas of career development and placement, primarily for collegiate athletes. He was one of the primary designers of the SCORE programs, a seminar that assists student athletes in preparing for professional careers after their days as student-athletes. He also served for two years as a lead speaker at the NCAA Career Connections, a special conference for young adults attempting to enter the collegiate sports ranks.
In addition to the years Patberg served as commissioner of SSAC, he was a commissioner for two NCAA Division II conferences—the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (1997-2000) and the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (1991-1997). He has been a pioneer in several areas of conference office operations.
"For a number of years I have been in a position to help institutions improve their organizations through their athletic programs," said Patberg. "Although assisting institutions and individuals was not directly addressed in the job description, it has been an important and enjoyable part of my life. Therefore, I joined ASC so I can, on a full-time basis, use my unique knowledge base to help others reach their goals," said Patberg.
"This is the third time Dr. Patberg has been on campus to meet with our student-athletes," noted Lee Athletic Director Larry Carpenter. "He is an expert in the field and his seminars challenge our students to be proactive in preparing for their careers. His presentations are easy to understand and provide valuable information on what is needed to be successful in life after Lee."
Carpenter pointed out that the sessions are part of Lee's Life Skills program and is the first of the bi-annual meetings. "We host sessions for freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors," he added.
