Special to the Times Vedette
Iowa State University announces the establishment of the Jamie and Ellen Pollard Endowed Director of Athletics, made possible through a $5 million commitment from an anonymous alumni couple. This gift creates a permanently endowed leadership position honoring the Pollards’ service, vision and enduring impact on Cyclone athletics.
“As Iowa State’s longest-tenured AD, Jamie has spent two decades building Cyclone athletics into a model program through his vision and unwavering commitment to student‑athletes,” said David Spalding, interim president of Iowa State University. “His leadership has elevated the department to unprecedented success, proving how a thriving athletics program can uplift an entire campus community and drive a region’s economic vitality. He and Ellen have also enriched the Ames community through their service. This is a well-deserved honor, and I’m grateful for the alumni couple’s extraordinary generosity that made the named position possible.”
The endowed position will help continue to shape the Iowa State student-athlete experience and advance the department’s highest priorities for ongoing achievement.
“We are so fortunate to have a respected, seasoned leader like Jamie guiding our Cyclone programs during this transformational time for collegiate athletics,” said David Cook, who will become Iowa State University’s 17th president on March 1. “With this solid foundation, supported by the generosity of this alumni couple, I look forward to working closely with Jamie to accelerate our fundraising efforts and ensure a bright future for our student-athletes and Cyclone Nation.”
The alumni couple, who wish to remain anonymous, established the endowed fund to honor and perpetuate the values Pollard has embodied throughout his tenure: visionary leadership and an unwavering pursuit of academic and competitive excellence.
“Under Jamie’s guidance, the athletics department has expanded opportunities for student-athletes and fostered a culture defined by character, resilience and high performance,” the anonymous donors and Iowa State graduates said. “By making this a permanent endowed fund, we sincerely hope to inspire future athletic directors to lead with courage, clarity and purpose — always placing student-athletes at the center of the mission and advancing the institution with the same passion and integrity demonstrated by Jamie and Ellen.”
Following the donors’ intent, the gift will be used to support student-athletes’ academic success, competitive excellence and holistic development and help position the department to successfully navigate the evolving college athletics landscape. The funds may also be used to enhance the department’s overall capacity to attract and retain the coaches and staff dedicated to student‑athletes’ overall success.
“Ellen and I are deeply humbled by this extraordinary and unexpected honor. We are also excited for what this gift means for the future of Cyclone Athletics,” said Jamie Pollard. “This endowed position is a profound investment in our student‑athletes, whose dedication and character define who we are as a department. With the support of this generous alumni couple and Cyclone fan base, we are confident the athletics department will continue to remain an environment where young people are empowered to excel academically, compete fiercely and grow into leaders who will shape their communities and professions.”
A native of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, Jamie Pollard earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, where he was a four-year letter winner in cross country and track and field, an All-American athlete and a 5,000-meter NCAA Champion. He began his early career as a CPA before transitioning into athletic administration at Saint Louis University, the University of Maryland and the University of Wisconsin.
When he arrived in Ames in 2005 as Iowa State’s 14th director of athletics, Pollard’s background in finance and operations helped shape his strategic approach to resource development and major capital projects, skills that have fueled record-setting fundraising, fiscal responsibility and innovative programming and facilities. Nationally recognized as a two-time Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) Athletics Director of the Year by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics and a three-time Sports Business Journal AD of the Year finalist, Pollard has also held leadership roles with the National Collegiate Athletic Association, United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee and multiple national professional associations.
Ellen Pollard was born in Slidell, Louisiana, and grew up in both Slidell and Mineral Wells, Texas. She graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1989 with a degree in finance and later earned a master’s degree in counseling from Saint Louis University. Her career includes work as a marketing analyst for Conoco in Houston, a financial aid counselor at Saint Louis University and an undergraduate business school adviser at the University of Maryland. In Iowa, she served for 10 years on the Blank Children’s Hospital Board from 2006 to 2016 and has volunteered as a Mary Greeley hospice patient volunteer since 2017.
Jamie and Ellen are the parents of four children, Thomas, Annie, Maggie and James, and recently became grandparents. The Pollards are homeowners at Lake Panorama.
The Jamie and Ellen Pollard Endowed Director of Athletics named position will carry the title of Endowed Cyclone Director of Athletics while Pollard continues to serve as the director of athletics.
For more information about Cyclone athletics, visit www.cyclones.com.
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