DePaul University Athletics
Prestigious Honors for DePaul's Jean Lenti Ponsetto
6/20/2016 12:00:00 AM | ATHLETICS
June 20, 2016
CHICAGO - In a recent span of five weeks, the world of college athletics and America as a whole recognized DePaul athletics director Jean Lenti Ponsetto.
Last month, Ponsetto traveled to New York to be honored by the National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations (NECO) with its Ellis Island Medals of Honor. Since 1986, distinguished Americans have been awarded the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, which has been officially recognized by both Houses of Congress as one of the nation's most prestigious honors.
Last week, Ponsetto was in Dallas to receive the Under Armour Athletics Director of the Year award for the second time in her illustrious career from the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA).
NECO's Medals of Honor embody the spirit of America in their celebration of patriotism, tolerance, brotherhood and diversity. They recognize individuals who have made it their mission to share with those less fortunate their wealth of knowledge, indomitable courage, boundless compassion, unique talents and selfless generosity; all while maintaining the traditions of their ethnic heritage as they uphold the ideals and spirit of America.
Among the winners of the award are six Presidents of the United States, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Frank Sinatra, Muhammad Ali, Lee Iacocca, Walter Cronkite, Sandra Day O'Connor, Cesar Chavez, Martin Scorsese, Coretta Scott King, Bob Hope, Quincy Jones, Louis Zamperini, Joe DiMaggio and Rosa Parks among others.
"It is very humbling to say the least when I looked at the list of past and present honorees," Ponsetto said. "It is very humbling for an Italian- American girl from the South Side raised by a hard-working dad who drove a cement mixer for 40 years and a super multi- tasking, hard-working mom who was the neighborhood Avon Lady.
"God love them---they put six kids through college and gave us a terrific foundation by sending four of us to DePaul. So, I share this award with our DePaul family and the many faculty, staff, coaches, teammates and friends who lit the torch and showed me the way."
Ponsetto was nominated for the Medal by the National Italian-American Sports Hall of Fame, which inducted her in 2014 and honored her as the Sportswoman of the Year.
"I was so flattered when I got nominated for this prestigious award," Ponsetto said. "I was sitting at my office desk when I got a call from Hall of Fame executive director George Randazzo telling me I had been selected. I was just overwhelmed.
"I was so glad to see DePaul get this recognition. It is because of this outstanding university and its administrators along with the culture we have created in athletics. Young people from all parts of the world come to us, and DePaul is really good at nurturing and teaching these young people and providing the utmost preparation for wonderful careers.
"We give them the opportunity to thrive and grow, and one day they go out and make their mark on the world."
Accepting the award certainly left its mark on the DePaul AD of the Year. Ponsetto and the other honorees were recognized on the evening of May 7 at Ellis Island with a ceremony and dinner followed by fireworks over the Manhattan skyline. This year's event was the 30th anniversary of the Medal.
"It was so special to be a part of such an extraordinary event, and it was great to see Nasser Kazeminy, the chairman of NECO again," Ponsetto said. "I had the privilege of meeting him at the National Italian-American Sports Hall of Fame dinner.
"It is so amazing how NECO represents the wonderful diversity of our country and creates special opportunities for ordinary folks to really shine. They do a terrific job focusing a bright light on the contributions of people from all walks of life---business, health care, education, politics, the judiciary, science, communications, theatre, music, sports and so much more."
Ponsetto is in her 14th year as athletics director at DePaul and her 41st as a member of the Blue Demon athletics department. She was named to her current position on July 1, 2002, and the Blue Demons have experienced tremendous success both on and off the playing field ever since. Ponsetto also guided the DePaul efforts in 2003 when the university announced it would join the BIG EAST Conference in 2005.
An advocate for student-athlete welfare, Ponsetto initiated and provided the leadership for the Sullivan-McGrath Athletics Capital Campaign which has yielded the funding resources for the renovation of Wish Field, the creation of Cacciatore Stadium and renovation of the Cherry Family Indoor Track at the Ray Meyer Center.
She was also instrumental in the negotiations for the new home for DePaul basketball to be located near McCormick Place and scheduled to open in the 2017-18 season.
"It was awesome to be a part of this special moment in my life, and I was humbled looking at the names of so many distinguished current and former winners of this award," Ponsetto said. "I attribute everything to DePaul and to my parents and the way they raised us. Any skills I had, I learned from my parents and was fine-tuned by DePaul. It was very humbling to receive such an honor, and it was always a DePaul-based award.
"I share the credit with the people I stand shoulder-to-shoulder with every day who contribute mightily to our mission, including DePaul President Dennis H. Holtschneider, the university's administrators, faculty and staff and all of our student-athletes who attain such excellence in the class room and on the playing field."
Unlike many others who made a huge commotion about this singular honor, Ponsetto's family pretty much took it in stride.
"I come from a family that rarely gets too high about this stuff," Ponsetto said. "Mom and dad did a pretty terrific job making sure that we all believed in ourselves but never got full of ourselves. We learned that whenever recognition comes your way, it's never because you did it alone. You were part of a really special team or group."
Ponsetto maintained the same perspective when receiving the AD of the Year award last week.
"It's always a terrific honor to be recognized by your peers, and I'm grateful for the award especially because I realize how much hard work and sacrifice athletics directors put into their jobs," Ponsetto said.
"I'm really fortunate to work with a university community that embraces the student experience with so many people committed to keeping students engaged in the educational process in the class room, in community service and in co-curricular activities."
During her tenure at the helm, 14 of the 15 Blue Demon athletic programs have represented the school in NCAA championships including 14 straight NCAA appearances by the women's basketball team, two trips to the Women's College World Series for the softball program and the men's soccer team's initial trip to the NCAA tournament after winning the BIG EAST Conference regular-season title.
Success has also come in the classroom during Ponsetto's tenure as more than 1,000 Blue Demon student-athletes have been named to conference academic honor rolls. The Blue Demons continued the academic trend in 2014-15 as a record-tying eight programs earned a BIG EAST Team Academic Award.
It was the fifth-straight year that DePaul has led the conference in the team academic honors and starting with the 2008-09 academic year, 42 programs have posted the top team GPA among their conference peers.
Aside from her duties at DePaul, she has served on numerous NCAA committees and most recently was selected as a member of the NCAA Council and was chosen by the council to serve as chair of the NCAA Women's Basketball Oversight Committee.
"This NACDA award is recognition for all that we have accomplished at DePaul, and I couldn't be more proud of our student-athletes, coaches and staff for the way they represent the university at the highest levels," Ponsetto said. "Our teams have some of the highest grade-point averages in the country while earning a multitude of BIG EAST honors and accolades.
"That is a tribute to our entire staff and all the student-athletes who are so committed to excellence."
CHICAGO - In a recent span of five weeks, the world of college athletics and America as a whole recognized DePaul athletics director Jean Lenti Ponsetto.
Last month, Ponsetto traveled to New York to be honored by the National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations (NECO) with its Ellis Island Medals of Honor. Since 1986, distinguished Americans have been awarded the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, which has been officially recognized by both Houses of Congress as one of the nation's most prestigious honors.
Last week, Ponsetto was in Dallas to receive the Under Armour Athletics Director of the Year award for the second time in her illustrious career from the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA).
NECO's Medals of Honor embody the spirit of America in their celebration of patriotism, tolerance, brotherhood and diversity. They recognize individuals who have made it their mission to share with those less fortunate their wealth of knowledge, indomitable courage, boundless compassion, unique talents and selfless generosity; all while maintaining the traditions of their ethnic heritage as they uphold the ideals and spirit of America.
Among the winners of the award are six Presidents of the United States, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Frank Sinatra, Muhammad Ali, Lee Iacocca, Walter Cronkite, Sandra Day O'Connor, Cesar Chavez, Martin Scorsese, Coretta Scott King, Bob Hope, Quincy Jones, Louis Zamperini, Joe DiMaggio and Rosa Parks among others.
"It is very humbling to say the least when I looked at the list of past and present honorees," Ponsetto said. "It is very humbling for an Italian- American girl from the South Side raised by a hard-working dad who drove a cement mixer for 40 years and a super multi- tasking, hard-working mom who was the neighborhood Avon Lady.
"God love them---they put six kids through college and gave us a terrific foundation by sending four of us to DePaul. So, I share this award with our DePaul family and the many faculty, staff, coaches, teammates and friends who lit the torch and showed me the way."
Ponsetto was nominated for the Medal by the National Italian-American Sports Hall of Fame, which inducted her in 2014 and honored her as the Sportswoman of the Year.
"I was so flattered when I got nominated for this prestigious award," Ponsetto said. "I was sitting at my office desk when I got a call from Hall of Fame executive director George Randazzo telling me I had been selected. I was just overwhelmed.
"I was so glad to see DePaul get this recognition. It is because of this outstanding university and its administrators along with the culture we have created in athletics. Young people from all parts of the world come to us, and DePaul is really good at nurturing and teaching these young people and providing the utmost preparation for wonderful careers.
"We give them the opportunity to thrive and grow, and one day they go out and make their mark on the world."
Accepting the award certainly left its mark on the DePaul AD of the Year. Ponsetto and the other honorees were recognized on the evening of May 7 at Ellis Island with a ceremony and dinner followed by fireworks over the Manhattan skyline. This year's event was the 30th anniversary of the Medal.
"It was so special to be a part of such an extraordinary event, and it was great to see Nasser Kazeminy, the chairman of NECO again," Ponsetto said. "I had the privilege of meeting him at the National Italian-American Sports Hall of Fame dinner.
"It is so amazing how NECO represents the wonderful diversity of our country and creates special opportunities for ordinary folks to really shine. They do a terrific job focusing a bright light on the contributions of people from all walks of life---business, health care, education, politics, the judiciary, science, communications, theatre, music, sports and so much more."
Ponsetto is in her 14th year as athletics director at DePaul and her 41st as a member of the Blue Demon athletics department. She was named to her current position on July 1, 2002, and the Blue Demons have experienced tremendous success both on and off the playing field ever since. Ponsetto also guided the DePaul efforts in 2003 when the university announced it would join the BIG EAST Conference in 2005.
An advocate for student-athlete welfare, Ponsetto initiated and provided the leadership for the Sullivan-McGrath Athletics Capital Campaign which has yielded the funding resources for the renovation of Wish Field, the creation of Cacciatore Stadium and renovation of the Cherry Family Indoor Track at the Ray Meyer Center.
She was also instrumental in the negotiations for the new home for DePaul basketball to be located near McCormick Place and scheduled to open in the 2017-18 season.
"It was awesome to be a part of this special moment in my life, and I was humbled looking at the names of so many distinguished current and former winners of this award," Ponsetto said. "I attribute everything to DePaul and to my parents and the way they raised us. Any skills I had, I learned from my parents and was fine-tuned by DePaul. It was very humbling to receive such an honor, and it was always a DePaul-based award.
"I share the credit with the people I stand shoulder-to-shoulder with every day who contribute mightily to our mission, including DePaul President Dennis H. Holtschneider, the university's administrators, faculty and staff and all of our student-athletes who attain such excellence in the class room and on the playing field."
Unlike many others who made a huge commotion about this singular honor, Ponsetto's family pretty much took it in stride.
"I come from a family that rarely gets too high about this stuff," Ponsetto said. "Mom and dad did a pretty terrific job making sure that we all believed in ourselves but never got full of ourselves. We learned that whenever recognition comes your way, it's never because you did it alone. You were part of a really special team or group."
Ponsetto maintained the same perspective when receiving the AD of the Year award last week.
"It's always a terrific honor to be recognized by your peers, and I'm grateful for the award especially because I realize how much hard work and sacrifice athletics directors put into their jobs," Ponsetto said.
"I'm really fortunate to work with a university community that embraces the student experience with so many people committed to keeping students engaged in the educational process in the class room, in community service and in co-curricular activities."
During her tenure at the helm, 14 of the 15 Blue Demon athletic programs have represented the school in NCAA championships including 14 straight NCAA appearances by the women's basketball team, two trips to the Women's College World Series for the softball program and the men's soccer team's initial trip to the NCAA tournament after winning the BIG EAST Conference regular-season title.
Success has also come in the classroom during Ponsetto's tenure as more than 1,000 Blue Demon student-athletes have been named to conference academic honor rolls. The Blue Demons continued the academic trend in 2014-15 as a record-tying eight programs earned a BIG EAST Team Academic Award.
It was the fifth-straight year that DePaul has led the conference in the team academic honors and starting with the 2008-09 academic year, 42 programs have posted the top team GPA among their conference peers.
Aside from her duties at DePaul, she has served on numerous NCAA committees and most recently was selected as a member of the NCAA Council and was chosen by the council to serve as chair of the NCAA Women's Basketball Oversight Committee.
"This NACDA award is recognition for all that we have accomplished at DePaul, and I couldn't be more proud of our student-athletes, coaches and staff for the way they represent the university at the highest levels," Ponsetto said. "Our teams have some of the highest grade-point averages in the country while earning a multitude of BIG EAST honors and accolades.
"That is a tribute to our entire staff and all the student-athletes who are so committed to excellence."
Episode 29: Kacy & Jenna
Thursday, November 13
Blue Demon Room Podcast Episode 17: Rachel Wilhelm and Noreen Vlamakis, Rush Physical Therapy
Wednesday, March 19
Episode 11: DeWayne Peevy, Vice President/Director of Athletics
Wednesday, December 18
Blue Demon Breakdown - Oct. 16
Wednesday, October 16