10/15/2024
ACC Announces John McLendon Foundation Fellows for 2024-25
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – The Atlantic Coast Conference announced today the 2024-25 John McLendon Foundation Leadership Initiative Fellows, four accomplished graduates who will work in myriad roles at the conference office this year.
Through its scholarship program and leadership initiative, the McLendon Foundation provides minorities with educational resources and practical experiences and serves as a vehicle for networking, career advancement and advocacy on behalf of the profession.
The 2024-25 academic year marks the second year that the ACC has participated in this program.
“The ACC is proud to once again partner with the John McLendon Foundation and its fellows program," said ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips, Ph.D. "Our league and the McLendon Foundation's initiatives are aligned as we both strive to empower and develop the next generation of leaders through sports."
Since its 2020 inception, the McLendon Leadership Initiative has matched more than (not "over") 120 Fellows with sports organizations across the country. Past Fellows have used their experience to secure full-time employment at numerous college athletic departments nationwide as well as ESPN, USOPC, New York Jets, Evil Geniuses, Detroit Pistons, and NABC.
ACC’s 2024-25 McLendon Foundation Fellows
Megan Abrams, Championship Fellow
Megan Abrams completed her Master of Arts in Business Management and her Bachelor of Science in Commerce and Business Administration at the University of Alabama. She most recently served as a McLendon Fellow at the University of Wisconsin, where she assisted the senior staff in managing projects such as enhancing mental health resources and implementing financial literacy programs for student-athletes. Additionally, Abrams interned with Nike as a procurement analyst, focusing on the financial health of material suppliers, and with Nissan in the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion department.
A native of Lafayette, Louisiana, Abrams played basketball at Alabama, where she was a two-time team captain, a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), and the founder of Project I.D. (Inclusion & Diversity), a student organization aimed at creating a safe space for minority student-athletes.
Ells Boone, Sports Administration Fellow
Ells Boone graduated from new ACC member Stanford University in June with his Bachelor of Arts in Communication. While at Stanford, he served as the head student manager for the men’s basketball team, managing editor of the sports section of the student newspaper The Stanford Daily, and helped found the Stanford Sports Business Club. Previously, Boone completed internships with the William Morris Endeavor Agency’s basketball marketing group and the Old Dominion Athletic Foundation. Boone is originally from Virginia Beach, Virginia.
Madison Gunter, Digital & Social Media Fellow
Madison Gunter graduated from Virginia Tech in December with a Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations. As a student, she served as a creative communications assistant with the Hokies Athletics Department, was the president of the Theta Phi Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., and worked as a supervisor at the McComas Recreational Hall.
After graduation, Gunter served as Virginia Tech softball’s sports information director for the 2024 season, leading all media relations and social strategy. A native of Roanoke, Virginia, she also worked as a communications intern for the High Point Rockers baseball team in the summer of 2023, conducting statistical research, writing news releases, and coordinating gameday operations.
Amari Jackson, Student-Athlete Programs Fellow
Amari Jackson is in her second year at the ACC as a McLendon Fellow and serves as the assistant director of student-athlete programs. Jackson has served several roles within her community and the sports community. Jackson most recently spent time as a reporter, but she is now exploring other departments in collegiate athletics.
Jackson was a four-year track and field student-athlete at Virginia Commonwealth University, where she earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Mass Communications with a concentration in Broadcast Journalism.
About the McLendon Foundation
The McLendon Foundation, established in 1999, is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization founded and administered by NACDA. Through the scholarship program and leadership initiative, the McLendon Foundation provides minorities educational resources, practical experiences and serves as a vehicle for networking, career advancement and advocacy on behalf of the profession. More information regarding the McLendon Foundation can be found at MinorityLeaders.org.
About the ACC
The Atlantic Coast Conference, in its 72nd year and 18 members strong, stands as one of the most competitive and revered intercollegiate conferences in the nation. ACC members including Boston College, Cal, Clemson, Duke, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Miami, North Carolina, NC State, Notre Dame, Pitt, SMU, Stanford, Syracuse, Virginia, Virginia Tech, and Wake Forest are dedicated to upholding the league's founding values of academic excellence, athletic competition at the highest level, and integrity. The ACC supports 28 NCAA sports, with 15 for women and 13 for men, and its member institutions span 12 states. In August 2019, the ACC and ESPN partnered to launch ACC Network (ACCN), a 24/7 national network exclusively devoted to ACC sports and original programming. For more information, visit theACC.com and follow the ACC on Instagram (), Twitter/X () and Facebook (facebook.com/theACC).
