FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 16, 2005

CONTACT: Daniel P. Finney, (515) 271-2833 or Daniel.Finney@drake.edu

GENEROUS GUIDANCE EARNS BERGER TOP DRAKE MENTOR AWARD

Jean A. Berger, assistant athletic director and senior women’s administrator at Drake University, is the winner of the Madelyn Levitt Mentor of the Year Award – the highest honor given to mentors at Drake.

A constant, driving force in the growth and respectability of Drake’s athletic department for more than a decade, Berger is known for her earnest relationships with student-athletes, faculty and staff and others in the local and national community. She takes an interest in all students who cross her path, regardless of athletic involvement, and makes it her mission to help them succeed.

“Ever since I told Jean about my desire to go to law school, she has been a constant supporter,” said one student nominator. “She has taken time out of her busy day to write me post-graduate scholarship nomination letters, offered to put me in contact with people she knows in the legal field and provided me with constant counsel in order to help me deal with the weight of my decision. Moreover, she did all of this while making me appreciate exactly how much I’ve grown over the past three and a half years here at Drake.”

Berger joined Drake in 1991 as assistant sports information director after stints in similar positions at Wichita State University and Wayne State College in Wayne, Neb. She became assistant athletic director in 1993. She earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Iowa in 1981 and her master’s degree in physical education and sports studies from Iowa in 1989.

At Drake, Berger supervises four of Drake’s men’s and women’s intercollegiate athletic programs and athletic training services. She works as an NCAA compliance officer and is responsible for all oversight of department actions related to NCAA regulations. She is coordinator of academic support services that helps ensure student-athlete success both in sport and classroom.

The relationships Berger fosters with Drake students create a trusting environment for student-athletes that helps alleviate the high-stress environment and demands created by balancing the terrific demands of NCAA Division I athletic schedules and those of the classrooms at a top-ranked private university.

“In my four years as an athlete at Drake, she counseled me on everything from applying for government financial aid to enhancing my education through a variety of summer school options,” said one former student-athlete. “Jean showed a genuine interest in my well-being and success. I’ve found that I can trust her not only as an adviser, but also a s a counselor and a friend.”

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