Mary Levine in her 21st year of Gryphon athletics

by Allison Grande

Wednesday February 22, 2006

Mary Levine has been the Director of Physical Education and Athletics at Sarah Lawrence for 21 years. In that time Levine has seen the athletic program grow from a small program that had limited space for classes in Bates to a competitor in the Hudson Valley Athletic Conference that can proudly call the 48,000 square foot Campbell Sports Center its home for eight teams, numerous classes and other special events.

In an interview, Levine discussed the changes she has seen in the Athletic Program, the current state of the program and what expectations she has for Sarah Lawrence Athletics in the future.
How has the athletic program changed during your time at Sarah Lawrence?

Back when I first started, we didn’t have a Sports Center or much staff so we had to be pretty creative and do a lot more off campus. We had a tiny little fitness center where A*Space is now, and our office was above the post office. The new faculty dining room is where our gym used to be and it was big enough for one badminton court, so I could have four people at a time play. Actually, one of my selling points to the administration [when the construction of a Sports Center was being considered] was that if four people on campus were playing badminton, then no one else on campus could do anything. So certainly having a Sports Center has enabled us to build a program and provide a better quality of life for students. We are happy that over time we have had the opportunity to provide more opportunities for students not just in classes and athletics but also in general recreation and having a place for people to be active.

What development are you most proud of during your time here?

There’s so much [to be proud of] because I feel like we’ve provided opportunities to a lot of students over the years, and it’s always rewarding to hear from graduates about how important this program was to them. That’s what it’s all about, trying to help students grow, learn, and have a good experience on campus that they can take with them after they graduate.

What’s your favorite and least favorite part about your job?
The connections to the students is what makes it all worthwhile. With this size program, there’s a lot more administrative duties to take care of, but getting out there and teaching a class, coaching a team or watching an event is definitely what makes it all worthwhile.

I think my least favorite part is that I can’t always get out there and be with the students. I think that when you have a bigger program, it’s just the nature of it. But for the most part, by the time we get to the Athletic Banquet in the spring, I know all the athletes on a first name basis, which is important to me because it makes this program more open and inviting to students.