McLendon Foundation Newsletter

McLendon Foundation Board of Directors,

We hope this newsletter finds you in high spirits. As we close the last quarter of 2026, we want to share with you the exciting Foundation updates and developments.

NEXT BOARD MEETING

Dec16

Wednesday, December 16, 2026

2:00 PM ET

The McLendon Experience

Jon Patricof receiving the Igniting Dreams Award on stage

Our second McLendon Experience sold out in Durham, with 250 attendees and faculty, up 40% from 2025.

We presented Jon Patricof, Co-Founder and CEO of Athletes Unlimited, with the inaugural Igniting Dreams Award.

View the full gallery

Attendees and faculty

Growth over 2025

Sold out

2026 Experience

The 2027 McLendon Experience will return to Durham in September 2027. Where should we go in 2028?

Have ideas? Drop them here.

2027 Postgraduate Scholarship Applications Now Open

$10K

7Awards

McLendon Postgraduate Scholarship

$10,000

Seven $10,000 scholarships for ethnic minorities pursuing their first master's degree in the US in a field leading to a career in sports.

$10K

1Award

Fiesta Bowl Scholarship

$10,000

Open to ethnic minorities who graduated from a four-year college based in Arizona, or who are enrolled in or accepted to an Arizona graduate program.

Full

2Awards

McCormack-McLendon Scholarship

Full scholarship

A full scholarship at UMass Amherst's #1 ranked McCormack Department of Sport Management, plus a graduate assistantship.

$10K

1Award

Carthage-McLendon Scholarship

$10,000

Open to applicants entering Carthage College's Master of Science in Business with a sports management track in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on campus or online.

$10K

2Awards

CIAA-McLendon Scholarship

$10,000

For women or ethnic minorities who graduated from CIAA member institutions and are entering their first year of graduate school in a sports-related field.

Applications close

February 1, 2027, at 11:59 PM PST

Please share this opportunity with your network and any promising young professionals.

Share scholarships

This year's fellows

McLendon Leadership Initiative

The McLendon Leadership Initiative is now in its seventh year. This year's cohort featured 17 fellows.

Special Thanks to

Our Talent Partner, for helping select this year's class.

April

Mark Your Calendars

Board meeting

April 1, 2027

9am to 12pm

Secret Summit

April 1, 2027

Evening

Updated Sponsorship Deck

Sponsorship presentation cover: Shaping the Next Generation of Leaders

If you know anyone who might be interested in supporting the Foundation, please make the connection. We can also make a custom deck you can send their way.

View sponsorship deck

Know anyone who might want to sponsor?

New Website

Meet Agora, the McLendon Foundation chatbot, answering questions about postgraduate scholarships

Check out our newly updated McLendon Foundation website, and meet our chatbot, Agora.

Visit the site

Have any recommendations or suggestions? Drop them here.