Today, HBCU Campaign Fund‘s (HCF) Founder, President and CEO Demetrius Johnson, Jr., has announced the selection of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Commissioner Dr. Charles McClelland as an honoree of the eighth class of The Ten Most Dominant HBCU Leaders of 2025. The selection will make Dr. McClelland as the second HBCU sports-affiliated person to be honored and induced behind Southern Heritage Classic Founder Fred Jones Jr. into the prestigious national recognition.

“Join me in commending Commissioner McClelland for his visionary and dynamic leadership, which has propelled the SWAC to the next level and increased the conference’s presence nationally. I am thankful for him and his office of our partnership and for the inclusion of our Annual HBCU Football and Recruitment Tour Program in the sports industry,” said HCF Founder President & CEO Demetrius Johnson, Jr. “The SWAC is the premier HBCU athletic conference to be a part of, and under the Commissioner’s leadership, the SWAC will continue to be. I appreciate the Council of Presidents and Chancellors’ leadership as well. And without a doubt, I am pleased to select Commissioner to join SHC Fred Jones Jr. as the second HBCU sports-affiliated named to The Ten Most Dominant HBCU Leaders and inducted into the eighth class.

The Ten Most Dominant HBCU Leaders Award & Class is a national recognition created by the HBCU Campaign Fund that identifies ten chancellors and presidents, and as of 2024, sports-affiliated individuals serving in the role at an HBCU, MSI, or affiliated with who exemplify a prominent and influential role in leadership and model the characteristics of following responsibilities in the progression of an institution or entity forward.

Highly recognized as one of the top sports administrators in the country, McClelland was named the sixth commissioner of the SWAC during the summer of 2018. Since that time the league has significantly increased its visibility and presence on a national stage through the broadcasting of conference football and basketball games on ESPN and HBCUGO platforms.

Under his leadership, the SWAC has been at the forefront of league expansions with the additions of Florida A&M and Bethune-Cookman in the summer of 2020. Beginning with the 2021-22 academic year, the SWAC boasted 12 total members spanning across six states including three members based in Mississippi (Alcorn State, Jackson State, and Mississippi Valley State), two in Alabama (Alabama A&M, Alabama State), two in Louisiana (Grambling State, Southern), two in Texas (Prairie View A&M, Texas Southern), one in Arkansas (Arkansas-Pine Bluff), and two in Florida (Florida A&M, Bethune-Cookman).

In June 2024, the SWAC Council of Presidents and Chancellors unanimously approved a contract extension for Dr. Charles McClelland, which will run through 2032 academic year.

Along with his duties at the league office, McClelland recently completed a five-year appointment as a member of the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Committee. Highlights of his tenure on the committee include him serving as chair of the committee for the 2023-24 season. With his selection he become the first person representing an HBCU league or institution to chair the prestigious committee.

Prior to arriving at the conference office McClelland served as the Vice President of Intercollegiate Athletics at Texas Southern University. He initially took over the helm of TSU Athletics in April 2008 as Director of Athletics. In February of 2015, McClelland was promoted in title to Vice President of Intercollegiate Athletics. McClelland supervised a total of 16 sports – nine women’s and seven men’s at Texas Southern. His daily duties included fundraising, managing budgets, team scheduling, marketing and keeping abreast of current National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) rules and regulations.

Dr. McClelland will join honorees Dr. Phyllis Worthy Dawkins, Lawson State Community College President Dr. Cynthia Anthony, Bishop State Community College President Olivier Charles, and retired Tennessee State President Dr. Glenda Glover. The honorees will be fully announced as The Ten Most Dominant HBCU Leaders and Eighth Class in early 2025.

About the HBCU Campaign Fund
The HBCU Campaign Fund (HCF) was founded in 2012 and is one of the nation’s minority educational organizations. HCF remains a strong advocate for students and higher education. The mission of HCF is to support the significance and raise funds for scholarships, programs, and for private and public HBCUs and MSIs. For more information, visit www.hbcucampaignfund.org.

###