March 8, 2010
by Maura Cook | Staff Writer
City College's Dean of Physical Education, Health and Athletics Mitch Campbell hangs out in Hughes Stadium. Photo by Jack Remson
Dressed in a crisp white shirt and a red tie, Dean Mitch Campbell heads to his office tucked within Hughes Stadium to see what issue is on his desk.
Campbell has been at City College for two-and-one-half years serving as dean of Physical Education, Health and Athletics and as an athletic director. While his duties, like sports, change with the season, Campbell is responsible for overseeing matters in the sports academic division, including physical education and faculty, and 18 athletic teams.
“The opportunity for positive influence on people’s lives is tremendous within athletics,” says Campbell.
He reviews the quality of athletic faculty’s teaching, meets with coaches, decides which PE courses to run and supports all athletes in their endeavors.
Campbell has been involved in athletics and education for his entire professional career. He has worked in high schools and community colleges as a coach and instructor and most recently at UC Davis as assistant athletic director, which led him into athletic administration.
His position, he states, was a “progression throughout [his] career.” One thing was for sure: He saw something worthwhile in sports.
Growing up, Campbell says he “played ‘em all,” focusing on football, basketball and baseball in high school, and later in college. Campbell took his interests in sports and crafted a profession, striving for student success via physical education.
“It’s [athletics is] a great potential learning tool,” Campbell says.
Athletic counselor Victoria Cornelius has worked with Campbell since the dean began at City College in 2008.
When not overseeing athletic business, Campbell attends City College sporting events and many home and away games.
“He’s very supportive when it comes to them [the student athletes].”
But life can’t always be a game, especially when facing major budget cuts this year and the upcoming years ahead.
“We’re making it work,” says Tim Kiernan, head City College golf coach.
Coaches work closely with Campbell and uphold the quality of athletics at City College, which Kiernan says has a lot of tradition to maintain.
Campbell thinks maintenance is the key and each of the 18 teams that will have to face proportional reductions in costs to preserve the programs.
“We’re all in it together—we’re in a competitive environment yet united in a common goal,” Campbell says.
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