University of North Carolina Athletics
Blanchard Returns To UNC To Direct Academic Support For Student-Athletes
August 15, 2001 | General
Aug. 15, 2001
CHAPEL HILL --- John Blanchard, who previously oversaw academic counseling services for student-athletes for 14 years at the University of North Carolina, has returned to UNC as Associate Director of Athletics and Director of the Academic Support Program for Student-Athletes.
lanchard left Chapel Hill in January 1999 to direct the academic support program and student services at the University of Minnesota. He has been a consultant for the Kansas City-based law firm of Bond, Schoeneck and King, working in athletic certification systems, since December 2000.
The Sacramento, Calif., native will work with the College of Arts and Sciences to oversee all aspects of the academic support program for student-athletes, supervise the eligibility program, maintain graduation rates, chair the Student-Athlete Development Committee and handle other duties as assigned by the Director of Athletics.
"We are all thrilled to return to North Carolina," says Blanchard. "My family considers it home. We have many friends and close colleagues at the University and in the community. We could not be more excited. My experiences at the University of Minnesota, although difficult and challenging, were tremendously rewarding and I am thankful for all those who were supportive of my family and me in the Twin Cities. We are anxious to return home, though, to renew acquaintances and working relationships."
In Blanchard's first tenure at Carolina, the number of student-athletes on the Atlantic Coast Conference Honor Roll doubled from 85 in 1985-86 to 170 in 1989-90. That number improved to 213 in his last year at Carolina. This year, 251 Tar Heels made the ACC Honor Roll. In eight of Blanchard's last 11 years at UNC, the football team was honored by the College Football Association for graduation rates exceeding 70 percent.
lanchard is a 1975 graduate of Stanford University where he earned a degree in history. He played safety for the Cardinal, and was named first-team All West Coast in 1974. He got his master*s degree in social work from San Diego State in 1981.
Prior to joining the UNC staff in 1985, he was the first-ever director of the Orange County Volunteers for Youth for three years.
"This was an outstanding opportunity to bring John back to Carolina," says Director of Athletics Dick Baddour. "Under his previous leadership, the Academic Support Program reached new heights and paved the way for the academic success stories that are now commonplace among our student-athletes. We were disappointed when he left for Minnesota, although professionally that was a great challenge, but we are ecstatic that he has returned to UNC."
lanchard and his wife, Dawn, have three children - a daughter, Janel, and two sons, Shaun and Gabriel.
