Senior Director of Recreation & Physical Education
Michael Howard grew up in Winter Haven, Florida. He started playing sports at a very young age, which allowed him to connect with a diverse group of people and understand life's fragility, leading him to join the Florida Gulf Coast University, baseball team.
College athletics fostered education beyond academia, as he lived through the power of positive reinforcement, healthy lifestyles, teamwork, and honest support. Shortly after finishing his pursuit of professional baseball, Mike realized that campus recreation was the best way to facilitate accessible opportunities for everyone.
Mike is the consummate professional, advocate, mentor, and friend that works toward everyone's well-being. Mike has a passion for mentoring and developing individuals around him. While mentoring young men of color at Durham Nativity School, advising student-athletes within the United Black Athletes (UBA) organization or leading our student and professional staff, Mike focuses on how to create equitable opportunities for everyone but most notably to empower and ignite the soul all so they can start their efforts to elevate others.
Michael believes life is enhanced by living and sharing positive experiences through sports, recreation, food, conversations, and personal connections. Not only to help those in need now but to establish a path for those to come. Many organizations have recognized his leadership and actions. He received multiple awards, most recently the 2020 Duke University Presidential Award, the 2022 Samuel DuBois Cook nominee, and the 2022 ACC UNITE Award.
A husband and father, Mike enjoys all sports (especially baseball), spending time with his family, and obsessively managing his fantastic collection of kicks