Katie Tarr, associate athletic director and senior woman administrator, celebrates 20 years at the College this year. In this Staff Spotlight, Tarr discusses her career path at Bryn Mawr and reflects on her accomplishments over the years.
Were you always in the position/department you are in now? If not, can you talk about your path to get here?
I was hired as the head lacrosse coach and assistant field hockey coach. During my second year, I also became the head basketball coach. I coached basketball and lacrosse together for five years. In the summer of 2009, I stopped coaching basketball and started the athletic administration part of my career when I was named the department’s senior woman administrator. After 13 years of coaching lacrosse at Bryn Mawr, I transitioned fully into athletic administration when the College created an associate athletic director position. I have been in that role since 2016.
Do you have any accomplishments that you are particularly proud of?
I am proud of the experiences I created for the student-athletes I have coached throughout the years. I hope they look back on their Bryn Mawr athletic experience and feel they grew as people, learned how to work with others, and had fun in the process.
More recently, I am proud of the development of Applebee Field and Shillingford Field. I also led the department’s first Challenge Campaign to raise funds for athletics.
Finally, I am proud of my relationships with my current and former colleagues. We are a special group of people that I have enjoyed and continue to enjoy working with on a daily basis.
Was there anyone you worked with who inspired or mentored you?
I never directly worked for Jen Shillingford, the former athletic director who retired in 1999. However, I worked with Jen on the Snell-Shillingford Coaching Symposium that she developed to expose women in the Centennial Conference to coaching and athletics as a profession. Jen is a pioneer in women’s athletics and a champion of Title IX. Throughout my years at Bryn Mawr, she continues to educate student-athletes, coaches, and athletic administrators about Title IX and equity in sports for women. To this day, Jen inspires me to continue to advocate for Bryn Mawr student-athletes to enhance their experience.
I am proud of the experiences I created for the student-athletes I have coached throughout the years. I hope they look back on their Bryn Mawr athletic experience and feel they grew as people, learned how to work with others, and had fun in the process.
What are some of the significant milestones or changes you've witnessed during your tenure?
President Cadge will be the fourth president I have worked under. COVID. A College-wide strike. A couple of recessions.
Specific to athletics, the role of college athletics has evolved in my time at Bryn Mawr. Its impact on college campuses and enrollment has changed the landscape of college sports and the NCAA.
Can you share a favorite BMC memory from your time working here so far?
In my department, a couple of us have been at the College for a while now. We started as younger professionals and have watched each other and our families grow. That is a wonderful experience, not a memory, but it has been a big part of my time at Bryn Mawr.
Do you have any advice or words of wisdom for staff new to the College?
If you get the opportunity to eat in the dining hall, do it! Great food.
What are your interests outside of work? What's something that most people at the College wouldn't know about you?
I have three boys, including a set of twins. I coach my sons in basketball. I enjoy traveling and hope to visit all the National Parks. I played three sports at Swarthmore College and am a member of the Athletics Hall of Fame.
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