Columbia College formally named its first female athletic director last week.
Cindy Potter said she has done work over her 23 years at Columbia College to grow the athletic program through her committee work.
When she attended Columbia College as a student athlete on the softball team before her graduation in 2005, there were just five sports and 70 student athletes, she said. Now, there are 363 student athletes and 20 sports.
Potter has seen this growth first-hand — she has served as the assistant director of athletics and the senior deputy of athletics at Columbia College.
"Cindy is an extremely talented administrator who has been a vital part of our Cougar family for more than two decades," Columbia College President David Russell said in a statement. "We are confident she will continue the momentum of our athletic department."
When Potter was a student athlete, she originally planned to move back home to Canada to teach second grade. But a year into Columbia College, she discovered the possibility of a career in athletics.
"I thought, 'I don't know why I would teach when I could work in athletics,'" Potter said, "and my passion really started then."
Potter said she was the first woman in the spaces in her previous roles at Columbia College.
"That has been so cool, to kind of set the tone," Potter said.
With the emergence of women highlighted in sports, such as Simone Biles in the 2024 Paris Olympics and WNBA athletes like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, Porter says it's key for children like her 10-year-old daughter to see representation.
"Being able to do this job and have her see me as a leader means the world to me," she said. "And I think raising young female leaders is super important."
Potter said she has big shoes to fill. She spoke highly of "two amazing people" she worked with before moving into the athletic director role.
Potter said former men's basketball coach Bob Burchard and James Arnold, who was recently promoted to vice president for enrollment management and marketing and athletics, helped build her confidence.
"I have had the honor of working beside Cindy, and know she is more than prepared for this opportunity," Arnold said in a statement. "Her commitment to Cougar Athletics, her experience and her professional track record are incredible, and I look forward to our continued work together."
Potter plans to give Columbia College student athletes the experience she had — or even a better one.
"That's really my vision," she said, "to have student athletes come here, get a degree and have a great experience and be able to come back to a place that they love and really made them who they are."
One thing Potter is looking forward to is Columbia College hosting the 2024 NAIA National Championship. She said Columbia College really tries to involved its athletes in the community and it will be a huge event in the fall.
Potter said she is excited about her new role and plans to offer a different view from the previous athletic director.
"Twenty-three years of this, this is my home, this is my love, and I can't imagine a better place to be so honored and so excited for Columbia College," she said.
