UMass Boston

World Series champion manager will provide mentorship for students in the BA program sponsored by New Balance during spring and fall semesters

The New Balance Sport Leadership and Administration program at UMass Boston today announced that Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora will serve as the program’s 2024 Executive in Residence. The program, which was launched in 2019, aims to cultivate equity-minded, character-driven, and transformational leaders who will positively improve society through sport as they enter the sports sector as professionals.

Cora has been a part of the Boston community since joining the Red Sox as a player in 2005. Before leading the Red Sox as the first Puerto Rican manager of a World Series-winning team in 2018, Cora won a title as a player with the club in 2007. As Executive in Residence, he’ll shift his leadership from the ballpark to the classroom to provide mentorship, guidance and advice to program participants, both on campus and during student visits to Fenway Park.

“I am honored to take part in this unique program, which prepares students to make a positive impact in the sports world and beyond,” Cora said. “The sports industry is highly competitive and I’m excited to collaborate with UMass Boston to assist in the development of high-character individuals and help position them to attain positions that will allow them to shape sports for future generations.”

The New Balance Sport Leadership and Administration Program prepares students for a variety of sports industry jobs and career paths with a curriculum that engages them in the phenomenon of sports from a variety of theoretical lenses based in the liberal arts, as well as experiential learning opportunities.

“Our program takes pride in developing highly skilled, diverse young sports leaders in sports, and having Alex on our team strengthens an already formidable lineup,” said Dr. Joseph Cooper, the Dr. J. Keith Motley Endowed Chair of Sport Leadership and Administration at UMass Boston. “His intelligence, perseverance, and exceptional work ethic made him a successful major league player, and those same qualities now make him one of the most respected and forward-thinking managers in sports. Our students can learn a great deal from him about how to overcome obstacles and achieve success.”

“We are privileged to welcome Alex our program,” said Allyce Najimy, CEO of Foundation To Be Named Later & co-founder of the UMass Boston Sports Leadership and Administration program. “His presence will enrich the experience for our students and impact them far beyond the classroom. We are grateful to Alex for lending his time, expertise and passion for education to help shape the future generation of leaders in sport.”

The New Balance Sport Leadership and Administration program currently has 126 enrolled students studying a range of topics from innovation, analytics, marketing, philanthropy, communications, law, and business. Participants have combined for more than 10,000 hours of internships in the sports industry since the program’s inception in 2019. In addition to coursework, students also complete a Capstone Project, in which they apply what they learn in the classroom to create social change in the community.

For more information about the New Balance Sport Leadership and Administration Program at UMass Boston, please visit www.umb.edu.