MAKING HISTORY IN THE CLASSROOM MAHONY, HALPIN CO-TEACH SPRING COURSE

Winthrop President Dan Mahony returned to the classroom this spring to teach a twice-a-week sport management course, “The History and Current Issues in College Athletics.” He asked Ken Halpin, the university’s new director of athletics, to co-teach with him.

Believed to be a first in the nation of a college president and athletic director teaching a course together, the class also marks the first time either has taught at Winthrop.

There’s a special bond that develops in the classroom between teachers and students, a give and take that encourages impactful learning. The concept of sharing ideas embodies what Mahony and Halpin love about teaching.

The course, open to undergraduate and graduate students, and members of the community, covers a lot of ground.

Mahony tackles the purpose of higher education and sport in America, the evolution of college sports in the country since the mid-1800s, and the role of women and race in sports. Halpin addresses current issues, such as NCAA governance, budgets, student-athlete concerns, legislative connections and the impact of Title IX.

“We’ve let the past feed discussions about the present and the future,” said Halpin, who joined Winthrop in July 2016. He is one of the youngest athletic directors in the country and one of the few with a Ph.D.

“The class dialogue has been very enriching and even challenged me in some places to further research and develop my own understanding of various issues,” Halpin said.

The pair has welcomed prominent guest speakers such as ESPN Basketball Analyst Jay Bilas, Eastern Washington University Athletic Director and NCAA Division I Council Member Bill Chaves, and University of North Carolina Charlotte Athletic Director and NCAA Division I Council Member Judy Rose ‘74 who shared insights with the class.

One of the observations Mahony and Halpin made is that while college athletics has received a lot of attention for many years, it operates more in the spotlight today than it did even a few decades ago. More televised games, greater news coverage overall and ongoing commentary on social media contribute to this trend.

Mahony and Halpin encouraged people in the community to audit the class.

“We love having diversity in the class not only of race and gender but also age,” Mahony said. “We’ve had large and small group discussions, so the mix has made a richer learning environment.”

Winthrop Board of Trustees’ member Don Long, a retired businessman from Lake Wylie, is auditing the course and loves it. “I’ve enjoyed sports all my life but never to this depth. We’re learning the how and why sports have evolved, from when rowing was the sport to now,” said Long. “There are a lot of complexities and specifics of rules and how they came to be. It is fascinating.”

Ken Halpin, left, listened as Dan Mahony talked with students in their sport management course.

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