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Dateline: 8/20/2009

GONZAGA UNIVERSITY NEWS RELEASE
Dale Goodwin, Director
Peter Tormey, Associate Director

GU Names New Unity House Director

Gonzaga University has named Tracy Ellis-Ward director of the Unity Multicultural Education Center (UMEC). Ellis-Ward brings a wealth of leadership and mentoring experience to this key position. In more than 15 years of local and national leadership roles, she has advocated for diversity and first-generation students and worked in various positions in the sports industry including collegiate, professional and ministry.

Tracy Ellis-Ward
Tracy Ellis-Ward.
Photo by Jennifer Raudebaugh
UMEC, commonly referred to as Unity House, provides resources and programming to enhance student learning and advance Gonzaga’s multicultural goals.  UMEC is committed to supporting the institutional mission to diversity and nurturing an inclusive campus climate.

Developing and sustaining retention efforts, and learning opportunities for students are important facets of the director’s role.

"I am honored to be part of the Gonzaga community and look forward to serving in an environment that embraces diversity and is committed to addressing challenges collaboratively,” said Ellis-Ward. 

In Spokane, Ellis-Ward held managerial responsibilities for Sports Leadership Ministries and women’s basketball at NBC Camps. She served on the selection committee for Spokane’s inaugural Act Six cadre, on the Northwest Leadership Board, and as a volunteer diversity advocate in the Mead School District. 

Prior to moving to the Pacific Northwest two years ago, Ellis-Ward worked for the New York City Fellowship of Christian Athletes; the National Basketball Association, as senior director of Women’s National Basketball Association basketball operations; and was the youngest and then-only African-American assistant athletic director at Michigan State University. Ellis-Ward also conducted diversity training at Michigan State , which was instrumental in helping the institution earn NCAA certification.

Ellis-Ward earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Missouri , where she was a former All-American in women’s basketball and served as team captain. She helped capture two consecutive conference titles during her playing career and still holds scoring records. After interning for the NCAA, she earned a master’s degree in sports administration from Ohio University . A native of Dayton, Ohio , Ellis-Ward is the mother of two children and was married to the late Michael J. Ward.

For more information, contact Tracy Ellis-Ward at (509) 313-4108 or via e-mail.