The Drexel Connection: Michelle Maslowski

This week the Drexel Connection spotlights Michelle Maslowski. She is currently the Director of Athletic Development for Drexel University.  Ms. Maslowski is a 2-time Drexel graduate from the Lebow College of Business and former women’s basketball player.  She played professionally in Spain, Italy, France, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Croatia, and Luxembourg.  Ms. Maslowski is a personal trainer for basketball players in her free time.

Ms. Maslowski fell into the field of development.  She wanted to do something productive during her overseas offseason and was given an opportunity to lead an out-reach campaign for athletic alumnae. This story reminds students to be open to new opportunities because you may stumble upon your real calling.   

I asked Ms. Maslowski what role she thought being a professional athlete played into her position and Athletic Development as a whole.

“An Athletic Development professional should have an athletic background. You need to be able to relate and have a connection with sports. I am very fortunate to work for the same university that I attended and played a sport for.  It’s a very unique situation.”

On what her day-to-day responsibilities on the job are, Michelle responded:

“Each day has a set of new challenges, however Mondays and Fridays are typically set up to be spent in the office while Tuesdays to Thursdays you try to get out on the road to meet with alumni and friends of Drexel.  When in the office, I allocate time for emails (introductory, follow-ups and stewardship) as well as allocating time for phone calls (whether it be cold calls, follow ups and stewardship.  When I am not on the phone or writing emails, you could find me in meetings or writing reports or strategizing for the next project.”

Michelle is a one women show in the Development world for Drexel Athletics. At most major universities, there is one person who handles major gifts and the other who manages the annual fund, amongst others. Michelle manages both, which shows how dedicated and skilled she is.

I proceeded to ask Michelle what her favorite part of the job was and the skills she thought were necessary to become a successful director of athletic development.

“My favorite part is definitely the relationship building for Drexel and further establishing a culture of philanthropy is exciting to me.  I also play an important role in helping to ensure each sports program’s  future success by increasing resources and establishing scholarships.  I see myself as an educator and facilitator of philanthropy, helping donors make a bigger impact.   The necessary skills include being a people person, a good listener, hard-working, openness to working nights and weekends (since it is not a 9-5), enjoyment sports, organizational skills and adaptability.  At the end of the day the most important person is the donor, not you.”

My last question for Michelle was the biggest piece of advice she would give to someone looking to enter the field of athletic development.

“Take an internship in the field and see how you like it. Do a lot of reading and have conversations with people in the field.  Apply for an annual fund position to get your start.  Also, look into getting a certification in development.” 

We are very proud to have Michelle Maslowski as part of the Drexel Family and the Drexel Connection.

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Lindrit Shkodra is originally from Diber, Macedonia but lives in Maple Shade, NJ. He is a sophomore in the Sports Management program and is currently the Treasurer of the Drexel Sport Management Student Union. He currently works for KCB Sports Marketing. In the past, he has work experience with Ron Jaworski's Celebrity Golf Challenge and Ridgewells Catering at the 2013 U.S. Open.  Follow Lindrit on Twitter @LindritShkodra.

Connect with Lindrit Shkodra on LinkedIn