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Derrick Gragg became the Vice President for Athletics & Recreation at Northwestern University in June 2021. A native of Huntsville, Ala., Gragg comes to Evanston with a long and distinguished career as an athlete, coach and administrator as well as a diversity and inclusion advocate.
Gragg was a wide receiver at Vanderbilt University from 1988 to 1991. He holds a masters degree from Wayne State University in Detroit and a doctorate in higher education administration from the University of Arkansas. He previously served in athletics administration roles at several other universities; prior to joining Northwestern he also served as the NCAA’s senior Vice President of Inclusion, Education and Community Engagement.
Gragg has had a lot on his plate in his first couple of years at Northwestern, including the construction of a new football complex to replace the current Ryan Field.
In this edition of People You Should Know, Gragg is interviewed by Northwestern Wildcats super-fan Ira Mitchell, the Co-chair of the Board of Directors at the Center for Independent Futures. The Center of Independent Futures supports adults with disabilities and helps them access the skills and opportunities they need to realize full lives.
People You Should Know is a video series produced as a joint project of the RoundTable, the Evanston Chamber of Commerce and Byline Bank.