(Grand Rapids, Mich. – September 10, 2020) Dr. Richard J. Pappas has been named the Chairperson of the President’s Council for the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Presidents from each member institution make up the GLIAC Council of Presidents, which serves as an advisor to the GLIAC’s Management Council.

“We appreciate Dr. Pappas’ leadership as the GLIAC navigates one of the most challenging years in our 48 year history,” said Kris Dunbar, commissioner of the GLIAC. “We value his strong leadership during this difficult time.”

“Davenport is proud to be a member of the GLIAC, and I appreciate the camaraderie and collaboration between the partner universities as we continue to support our student-athletes and prioritize their health and safety as they pursue both their academic and athletic goals,” said Richard J. Pappas, Ed.D, president of Davenport University.

Davenport joined the GLIAC in 2017.  Two years later the university received approval from the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) for active Division II (DII) membership.

Since joining the GLIAC, Davenport’s men’s basketball team won a GLIAC regular season title (2018-19) and its men’s soccer team won a GLIAC Tournament title (2017). In the last two seasons, seven of Davenport’s student-athletes received All-GLIAC top honors and 467 student-athletes received All-Academic honors.

Davenport University has 22 NCAA-sponsored sports with more than 560 student-athletes enrolled annually.

The policy-making body of the GLIAC is the Management Council, which is comprised of three representatives from each member institution (director of athletics, faculty athletics representative and senior woman administrator) Presidents from each member institution make up the GLIAC Council of Presidents, which serves as an advisory role to the Management Council and oversees the GLIAC commissioner. The presidency of the GLIAC Management Council and chairperson of the GLIAC Presidents Council is a 1-year term.

The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC), founded in 1972, has been a leader in the advancement and promotion of intercollegiate athletics for men and women for 48 years.

About Davenport University:
Founded in 1866, Davenport is a private, non-profit university serving about 7,500 students at campuses across Michigan and online. With tuition among the lowest of all private universities in the state, Davenport provides high academic quality, small class sizes, conveniently located campuses, faculty with real-world experience and more than 60 dynamic undergraduate and graduate programs addressing in-demand careers in business, technology, health professions and urban education. Find more information at davenport.edu.

About the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC), founded in 1972, has been a leader in the advancement and promotion of intercollegiate athletics for men and women for 48 years. The charter members of the GLIAC were Ferris State University, Grand Valley State University, Lake Superior State University, Northwood University, and Saginaw State University. The current membership now includes 12 full members: Ashland University, Davenport University, Ferris State University, Grand Valley State University, Lake Superior State University, Michigan Technological University, Northern Michigan University, Northwood University, Purdue University Northwest, Saginaw Valley State University, Wayne State University, and the University of Wisconsin Parkside. The Conference has grown to offer championships in 21 sports while rising to prominence on the national level as GLIAC teams and student-athletes have achieved success both in the classroom and on the fields of play.