Since 1997, Dr. Bell has served as the NAIA Faculty Athletics Representative for the St. Thomas University Department of Athletics. In her role as FAR, she has served as STU’s faculty voice ensuring balance between academics and athletics for the benefit of the student-athlete. Her responsibilities as FAR include, but are not limited to: student-athlete eligibility, academic integrity, compliance with NAIA rules and student-athlete advisement while also serving as the liaison between the Department of Athletics and faculty.
In her 18 years as FAR, Dr. Bell has overseen the eligibility and academic performance of roughly 4,500 student-athletes at St. Thomas. Academically, student-athletes at St. Thomas University have excelled under Dr. Bell’s watch. Most recently, Bobcat student-athletes had an overall grade point average of 3.10 for the spring, 2014 semester marking the highest overall GPA since 2003 and the fourth straight semester with an overall GPA of over 3.00.
As Director of Sports Administration, Dr. Bell has guided both undergraduate and graduate students, many of whom were also student-athletes, into careers in the competitive sports industry. Approximately over 1,400 graduates of the St. Thomas Sports Administration program currently work in the industry worldwide.
