• Loading stock data...
Saturday, July 12, 2025

Interview with Stevie Baker-Watson, Theodore Katula Director of Athletics and Recreational Sports at DePauw University

By: Adam White, @FOSAdam

Stevie Baker Watson, Theodore Katula Director of Athletics and Recreational Sports at DePauw University

Front Office Sports is proud to have sat down with Stevie Baker Watson, Theodore Katula Director of Athletics and Recreational Sports at DePauw University. A graduate of Ohio University and Northeastern Illinois University, Stevie got her start in athletics on the athletic training side where she was a athletic trainer for nine years before making the transition to the executive side. Hailed as “One of the best in the business” by her colleagues she was gracious enough to offer a behind the scenes look into what it takes to be an Athletic Director at the Division III level, how everyday is a learning experience and why working in collegiate sports has given her an outlet to change the lives of many individuals.

How did you get to where you are today?

As the current AD for DePauw University, she quickly took us on a trip down memory lane in which she reminisced on her time at Saint Xavier University Aurora University and most recently, North Central College where she was the Assistant AD/SWA. Although hired for a different position at Aurora, she “took on responsibilities in compliance, facilities, event management and just about everything from a day to day perspective.” With a plethora of experience under her belt she stressed how she has over time learned “patience” because like many of us, she was worried about “how quickly she could get to her dream position and didn’t truly value the experiences she was obtaining.”

As the Athletics Director for DePauw University, what does your job entail? How is it different from AD positions at Division I schools, how is it similar?

Like many other Athletic Directors her job entails everything from normal office duties to budgets to event management. From there, Division I AD’s and Division III AD’s are very different and she summed it up great in one line saying, “I fundraise, I recruit, I meet with alumni or I could be in my heels walking through the bleachers after a basketball game picking up trash.” She recognizes that it is “not typical behavior” but she also realizes that at a smaller school, “it is what we need here to get things done” and that even though she is the “visionary and the leader, she also has to be the one setting up the chairs or doing parking for an athletic event.”

What is your favorite part about working in collegiate athletics? Did you always see yourself where you are today?

Laughingly like many others Stevie recounted her past saying, “I had no idea that I would be where I am today. I should have known based on what I did in high school, but I wasn’t sure.” You could tell that although she wasn’t sure that she would be here in the beginning that she was happy to be here now. It was truly evident her love of the position because her outlook on sports and how she “has the ability to make the 18–22 year old time period for student athletes a very special time for them” and she also loves the fact that she can “be around them and help them through this very transformative part of their life.

What is the best career advice you wished you had received when starting out?

“Remember that you have two ears, two eyes and one mouth for a reason. You should listen and look more than you speak.”

“A well-phrased question will not only get you answers, but gain the respect of the person that you are speaking with.”

What skills or experiences are vital for newcomers into the sports industry?

Flexibility, adaptability and patience. You have to learn a lot before you can get your dream job. Your first job is not going to be your dream job, but you have to get an in somewhere. Solid communication skills both verbally and written and being conscious of your body language. Take initiative. Listen and reflect on what is going on around you. You need to ask the teams or company’s what you can do for them, because it doesn’t do them any good if you are only doing something that benefits you. Be a lifelong learner, everyone you meet will teach you something.

How do you like the current landscape of college athletics? What would you change?

I would love to see the media focus more on the student athlete experience. We tend to forget everything that our students do day-in and day-out to be successful both on and off the playing field. I have students who will graduate with double majors and ones who will have studied abroad and still received 4 varsity letters. We are too focused on the money aspect of everything and not the actual experience of everything.

Parting wisdom?

Relationships are the key to happiness. There’s an arms race regardless of what division you’re in and generally people see that as positive growth, but at the same time I could have less than stellar athletic facilities if the people I work with are empowered, excited and engaged and truly loving what they do day-in and day-out. I try to treat people with respect. I want them to be stakeholders in our department.

I try to foster a collaborative work environment. I want to know how people feel about things before we get to the tense moments. I’m always asking questions, because I want to know what is going on in their lives. Working in athletics can completely take over your life, but what I try to share with my staff is that I’m with them in this for the long run and that there are going to be things that go on in their personal lives that will affect their schedule. I want them to know that I will make sure they get what they need.

Its okay to have a fear of the unknown as long as you don’t let it paralyze you. If you know your values and trust yourself and understand other’s perspectives, you don’t have to fear the unknown because you will be prepared.

Failure is part of it, I’m not always going to be right. You’re allowed to fail as long as the mistake doesn’t happen again

You can always learn. For the past eight days I have been traveling with teams and everywhere I went, I would take pictures and notes of what others were doing so I could take it home with me and use it to improve our Athletic Department.

You gotta live in the moment and try things that in that moment, you may not be sure how they all fit together but five months or five years down the road you may see how they all connect in the end.

Don’t be so narrowly focused on one dream, be willing to have multiple dreams and be willing to work at all of those things at the same time.

Do what makes you happy.

Seize your moment and seize your opportunity.

We would like to thank Stevie for her great insight and background into what it is like being an Athletic Director! You can follow her on Twitter here!

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Misiorowski’s Path From Anonymous to MLB All-Star In 5 Games

The Brewers flamethrower has just five games of major-league experience.
Bobbleheads are seen at Vintage Indy Sports, Tuesday, April 29, 2025 in Speedway. The local sports memorabilia store opened recently.

Baseball’s Bobbleheads Are the Center of the Collectibles Universe

Baseball’s most important keepsake drives long lines—and big business.
NFL

30 NFL Second-Rounders Still Unsigned With Camps Set to Open

Saturday is the earliest rookie report date for training camp.

Featured Today

Rimouski, QC - JUNE 1: Final Game of the 2025 Memorial Cup between the Medicine Hats Tigers and the London Knights on June 1, 2025, at the Colisée Financière Sun Life in Rimouski, Qc.

CHL Is Facing a ‘Pandora’s Box’ of Questions Amid NCAA Talent Departure

As players defect to college, the Canadian Hockey League won’t cede ground.
Jun 28, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh (29) bats during the game between the Texas Rangers and the Seattle Mariners at Globe Life Field.
July 9, 2025

The Torpedo Bat Business Is Still Going Strong: ‘Here to Stay’

Demand for the oddly shaped bats has stayed strong across the sport.
July 6, 2025

American Celebs Want to Be Sports Owners. Soccer Is Where They Start

As U.S. team prices climb, investors set their sights abroad.
July 5, 2025

Baseball’s Celebrity Row: Behind MLB’s First-Pitch Ritual

Often planned, sometimes spontaneous, the ritual throw is baseball’s celebrity row.

NCAA: March Madness Expansion to 76 Teams ‘Still Viable’ for 2026

Negotiations continue with media rights holder CBS and TNT Sports.
July 10, 2025

Deion Sanders Rips ‘Bulljunk’ in CFB, Calls for NFL-Style Salary Cap

Coach Prime is frustrated with the new revenue-sharing era.
The Florida State Seminoles hosted the Florida Gators at Doak Campbell Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024.
July 10, 2025

Athletic Departments Express Renewed Interest in PE in Wake of House Settlement

Schools now have more expenses—and are looking for creative solutions.
Sponsored

Game On: Portfolio Players Stories, Brought to You by E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley

Dealmaker Jeffrey Kaplan maps the evolution of sports as an asset class
Apr 4, 2025; Tampa, FL, USA; Connecticut Huskies guard KK Arnold (2)1 dribbles against UCLA Bruins forward Angela Dugalic (32) during the third quarter in a semifinal of the women's 2025 NCAA tournament at Amalie Arena.
July 10, 2025

‘Kind of a Joke’: Frustrations Mount As New NIL Deal Approval Process..

Delays have already led to athletes losing NIL opportunities.
Jul 9, 2025; Frisco, TX, USA; Head coaches Willie Fritz of Houston, Mike Gundy of Oklahoma State, Rich Rodriguez of West Virginia, Lance Leipold of Kansas, Sonny Dykes of TCU, Kyle Whittingham of Utah, Brent Brennan of Arizona and Deion Sanders of Colorado all sit on stage for a Coaches Roundtable during 2025 Big 12 Football Media Days at The Star.
July 9, 2025

Big 12 Commish: Conference Is ‘All In’ on International Expansion

The conference had once planned a large initiative in Mexico.
Sebastian Rivera (R) tf. Danny Coles 6:47 (20-3). Rutgers University Wrestling vs Princeton in Piscataway, NJ on February 18, 2022.
July 9, 2025

The House Settlement Is Being Appealed. It Won’t Stop Revenue-Sharing—for Now

The settlement’s approval on June 6 triggered an appeals process.
July 9, 2025

Big Ten, Big 12 Commissioners Remain Far Apart on CFP’s Future

A decision on expansion must be made by December.