ALUMNI OMAR BANKS EARNS ELITE SPOT IN NCAA LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE
6-26-08


RICHMOND, Va. - He has not been a member of the Virginia Commonwealth University Athletic Department for even two years, but Omar Banks, Director of Ticket Operations at VCU, has already made a name for himself as he earned a spot among just 23 other athletic administrators across the country in the 2008-2009 class of the NCAA Leadership Institute for Ethnic Minority Males and Females.

The NCAA Leadership Institute for Ethnic Minority Males and Females is a program where athletics administrators receive enhanced training and acquire skill sets necessary to advance to senior-level positions and leadership roles in athletics.

The program was established in 2001 following a recommendation from the Minority Opportunities and Interests Committee to address the critical shortage of senior-level minority females and males in athletics at the campus and conference levels.

Banks joined the Black and Gold in January of 2007 and has taken the ticket operations to new heights including setting a new sell-out record for menÕs basketball as the Rams saw four sold-out crowds during the 2007-2008 campaign.

The Newport News, Va. native came to VCU after two stellar years at Hampton University and a standout football career at the University of Richmond.

He is a 1996 graduate of the University of Richmond and received his master's of business administration from North Carolina Central in 2001 and his master's of sport leadership from the VCU SportsCenter in 2004.