Springfield College Leads Kelly Dullard '15 to his Goal as Athletic Director
At right, Kelly Dullard '15 meets with Faculty Emeritus Bob Accorsi, G'80, at the 2026 Panini Hoophall Classic at Blake Arena.
By: Damon Markiewicz
Just a little over 10 years ago, Kelly Dullard ’15 had a career-defining moment as a student in Springfield College Sport Management professor Bob Accorsi’s Public Relations and Marketing class. The moment occurred when Dullard had to write down what he hoped to accomplish as part of the Sport Management major. Fast forward to the 2026 Panini Hoophall Classic, Dullard’s goals were on display when he returned to Blake Arena as the Director of Athletics for Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, California.
“As part of professor Accorsi’s class, I wrote down my future goal was to become an athletic director,” explained Dullard, who was in attendance at this year’s Hoophall Classic watching Mater Dei’s boys and girls teams compete in high school basketball’s biggest showcase. “He encouraged me to lean into my ambition. In addition, professor Accorsi designed a semester-long case study focused on that path, which gave me clarity and direction at a pivotal point in my college experience. I wouldn’t be where I am today without Springfield College.”
As part of this year’s Hoophall event, Dullard had the opportunity to walk around the campus for the first time since his graduation day back in 2015. As part of his visit, Dullard met with Accorsi and reminisced about the positive impact that the Sport Management program had on his career. Dullard was also joined by current Department of Sport Management Chair Heather Gilmour, and first-year student Krum Tsvetkov, who is a team liaison for this year's Hoophall Classic.
“Something that I really appreciate now is how much Springfield College prepared me to be ready for the real-world experiences you face in your career,” expressed Dullard. “The example in professor Accorsi’s case study did occur recently as part of my job. I felt prepared how to handle the situation because I had been trained for it in professor Accorsi’s class. It was an example of how well the faculty prepared me for future success.”
Dullard’s journey to the West Coast began in the summer of 2014, when he secured an internship at Concordia University Irvine, working in the institution’s sports information department. His responsibilities helped him complete his 12-credit internship requirements for the Sport Management program.
“Once I secured that internship, I looked for a summer job in San Diego,” explained Dullard, who grew up in Connecticut. “During my Springfield College years, I was an ocean lifeguard up in Salisbury Beach, Mass., so I decided to see if I can be a lifeguard out in California. I applied to YMCA Camp Surf and they run a summer camp. They have ocean lifeguards trained. They offered me the job to be a lifeguard and a camp counselor with their teenage program.”
In the fall of 2014, Dullard completed his internship at Concordia, and he returned to Springfield College for the 2015 spring semester. While concluding his collegiate career, he competed on the swimming and diving team, enjoyed the graduation ceremonies, and had prepared himself to head back to California.
“I came back to Springfield College and I finished my spring semester, and following graduation, I went right back to San Diego to run the teenage program,” explained Dullard. “Also at this time, Concordia offered me a graduate assistant position to go through their Masters of Coaching in Athletic Administration program.”
After earning his master’s degree, he worked as a substitute teacher and assistant swimming coach at Mater Dei, which led to a long-term sub position in the Mater Dei’s athletic office. It was at this time that he began gaining real-world experience in athletic administration, and in 2017 he was hired full-time as the coordinator of athletic operations.
“I dove into every opportunity, and in 2020, I was promoted to associate director of athletics,” described Dullard. “The spark was lit at Springfield College. The early years were intense, but they laid the foundation for everything that followed. I often think back to the impact Springfield College had on me, not just through the education, but through moments that truly shaped my path.”
Dullard had the opportunity to view some of the physical changes to campus since 2015, including the evolution of the Harold C. Smith Learning Commons and the unveiling of the Brown Cooper Health Sciences Center, just to name a few. Dullard takes comfort in that the culture of the College hasn’t changed, and the connections he felt as a student with his faculty remain the same.
“I’m deeply grateful to the Sport Management faculty for the mentorship and guidance they provided throughout my time on campus,” concluded Dullard. “Their influence gave me the tools, and the confidence, to pursue a career in athletics, and that foundation made a huge difference. I am forever grateful.”
