April Arvan to lead graduate business programs
Two-time Lakeland graduate April Arvan, Ph.D., has been named Lakeland interim director of graduate business. She will continue to serve Lakeland as director of athletics and as a professor of sport management and leadership.
In this role, Arvan will provide administrative oversight for Lakeland’s master of business administration (MBA) and master of science in leadership and organizational development (MSLOD) programs. This includes reviewing student applications, supporting adjunct faculty in these programs, assisting with course scheduling and assessing student learning in these programs.
“The Kellett School is blessed to have someone with Dr. Arvan’s leadership background fill the role of interim director of graduate business,” said Rachel Ware Carlton, dean of Lakeland’s Kellett School. “Not only is Dr. Arvan immensely qualified to serve as the academic leader of these programs, she also brings with her a deep understanding of Lakeland’s mission and values.”
Arvan joined Lakeland’s faculty full time in 2007, though she has taught part-time at Lakeland since 1994. She is Lakeland's all-time winningest women's basketball coach and a longtime leader in the athletic department in addition to her work in the classroom.
Arvan has been an athletic department administrator since 2004 with responsibilities including NCAA Division III Compliance, Equity and Student-Athlete Development.
She worked for the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) nationally facilitating content of the NCAA Leadership Forum to a diverse and dynamic representation of student-athletes, coaches, faculty and administrators at all NCAA Divisions. The Leadership Forum provides pertinent and customized sessions that enhance personal awareness and leadership skills needed to impact student-athlete development at the campus and conference level and beyond the collegiate realm.
She has also represented the NCAA as co-creator and co-facilitator (with Shari Acho, Director of the Michigan Professional and Career Transition Program for Student-Athletes at the University of Michigan) of “Department and Campus Relations – Connecting Your Athletic Department to Your University/College Campus” at the Student-Athlete Affairs Education and Training Symposium.
These symposiums provide relevant, effective and practical training and professional development opportunities to enhance the ability of professionals to serve student-athletes in the areas of life skills and student-athlete development.
Arvan's record as Lakeland’s head women's basketball coach from 1994-2007 was 266-84. Her teams won eight conference titles, and Arvan and her staff led the Muskies to five NCAA Division III tournament appearances. She earned six Conference Coach of the Year honors. Arvan currently ranks #18 nationwide in the NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Winningest Coaches All-Time category.
In the classroom, Arvan has taught more than a dozen different courses in various departments at both the graduate and undergraduate level, and she has served as academic advisor for numerous students.
She graduated from Lakeland with her bachelor's in secondary education and broad field social studies in 1993 and her master's in education in 1995. She earned her Ph.D. in education with an emphasis in Sport Management and Leadership from Northcentral University in Arizona in 2010.
