Photo by: Columbia University
Columbia Athletics Names Rachel Leeke Assistant Director of Enrichment Services
8/6/2018 10:01:00 AM | General
A former student-athlete, Leeke joins the Lions after successful stints with USA Baseball, United States Olympic Committee and University of North Carolina.
NEW YORK—Rachel Leeke has been named Columbia Athletics' Assistant Director of Enrichment Services, effective August 1, 2018. In this role, Leeke's primary responsibilities will focus on assisting the Enrichment Services team with well-being, academic support, and career development initiatives and providing individual career guidance to the Columbia's student-athlete population.
"We are excited to have Rachel join our Enrichment Services team and Columbia community," Associate Athletics Director for Enrichment Services Jessica De Palo said. "She is passionate about supporting student-athletes and will serve as an important resource for them. I know Rachel will be a strong contributor toward our goal of building the best program for student-athlete support services in the country. She will play an integral role in our Success Through Well-Being initiative as we work to understand, support, and empower every student-athlete holistically, as a student, as a Division I athlete, and an individual person."
Leeke joins Columbia after serving a year at USA Baseball as the organization's Travel Services Coordinator, where she assisted in all travel and lodging logistics for the National Team. Prior to her time at USA Baseball, she served as a Diversity & Inclusion Intern for the United States Olympic Committee. She also worked a full year as a Graduate Assistant in the Student Athlete Development Office at the University of North Carolina, completed internships with the Rutgers and St. John's University sports marketing departments and at Harlem Children's Zone.
A Brooklyn, N.Y. native, Leeke earned Magna Cum Laude distinction while graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Sports Management from Rutgers University. She went on to earn a Master of Arts degree in Sports Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in May 2017. While at UNC, Leeke worked as a Student-Athlete Development Graduate Assistant, developing leadership programs, collaborating with coaches and administrators, and assisting in career development initiatives.
Leeke competed as a sprinter in track and field at Rutgers.
"I am thankful for the opportunity to step into this role," Leeke said. "As a former student-athlete myself, I feel fortunate to be on the other side of the student-athlete experience to help our student-athletes thrive and feel prepared for life after graduation."
"We are excited to have Rachel join our Enrichment Services team and Columbia community," Associate Athletics Director for Enrichment Services Jessica De Palo said. "She is passionate about supporting student-athletes and will serve as an important resource for them. I know Rachel will be a strong contributor toward our goal of building the best program for student-athlete support services in the country. She will play an integral role in our Success Through Well-Being initiative as we work to understand, support, and empower every student-athlete holistically, as a student, as a Division I athlete, and an individual person."
Leeke joins Columbia after serving a year at USA Baseball as the organization's Travel Services Coordinator, where she assisted in all travel and lodging logistics for the National Team. Prior to her time at USA Baseball, she served as a Diversity & Inclusion Intern for the United States Olympic Committee. She also worked a full year as a Graduate Assistant in the Student Athlete Development Office at the University of North Carolina, completed internships with the Rutgers and St. John's University sports marketing departments and at Harlem Children's Zone.
A Brooklyn, N.Y. native, Leeke earned Magna Cum Laude distinction while graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Sports Management from Rutgers University. She went on to earn a Master of Arts degree in Sports Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in May 2017. While at UNC, Leeke worked as a Student-Athlete Development Graduate Assistant, developing leadership programs, collaborating with coaches and administrators, and assisting in career development initiatives.
Leeke competed as a sprinter in track and field at Rutgers.
"I am thankful for the opportunity to step into this role," Leeke said. "As a former student-athlete myself, I feel fortunate to be on the other side of the student-athlete experience to help our student-athletes thrive and feel prepared for life after graduation."
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