My team and I are lifelong learners, we’re going to work hard to sharpen each other’s iron. He had people bring their children in for trick-or-treating through the office on Halloween. He also helped the department set fundraising records three years in a row even as the country emerged from a recession. I embrace that, I love that. People followed him everywhere. Jarmond has indeed seen it through, as have countless other OHIO graduates since it became the first school in the country to offer the MSA program. Their partnership ended when Jarmond took the UCLA job in May after an unusual courtship. All rights reserved. How does he do it? Integrity is the most important aspect: We’ll do things the right way and not cut corners. There was no debating which parent Martin took after; it was the one who, if he was running late, everybody knew there was no reason to worry because he had just stopped to talk to somebody. “I go back to an age old adage in basketball: the difference between assistant coach and head coach is 12 inches...but it's much more than that. His mother reminded him of his history of embracing bigger challenges and believing that he could solve any problem, no matter how seemingly insurmountable. And excellence is the goal in all that we do. In college he was known as the Mayor because it seemed as if everybody in town knew him. That’s not completely true. I met with him on my last day at OSU, and he said, “Winning is important — alumni and everyone else want you to win. Jarmond ended the conversation feeling he was ready for the next step, even if it required a longer stride than he had ever taken. “Yeah, I absolutely believe it. But it stops there for me because of the work we have to do to make it so that it’s no longer a big “first.”, But I do believe that for people to decide where they want to go professionally, it’s nice to see professionals handling their business who look like you. “He’s always the life of the room. Who are some of the Bruin icons that stand out most to you? Being UCLA’s first Black athletic director is something I don’t take lightly. Later, after he heeded Smith’s advice and went back to his hairstylist, Jarmond realized the role of candid conversation in leadership. Martin Jarmond’s energy is positively contagious. © 2019 Ohio University. Inspired by the book’s philosophy, Jarmond printed a copy of the pyramid and hung it in his cubicle. Something momentous would come along soon enough. He also loved me enough to tell me what I didn’t want to hear sometimes.”, In 2017, Jarmond was chosen as Boston College’s athletic director. It didn’t matter that Jarmond wasn’t always the best player because he was always the best at knowing what to do and how to make it happen. “I’ve been in situations and afforded opportunities that don’t make sense and I don’t understand,” Jarmond said, “so I feel like it’s a higher purpose and a higher calling for me.”, One of the first things Jarmond wants to get for his new office is a sign reading “334 Mallard Way.”. In a phone interview that was conducted prior to the Pac-12’s announcement, Jarmond spoke about being UCLA’s first Black AD, the expectations he’ll face, his favorite movies and the memorable advice he received from a mentor. You try to make change and do good. That’s what you do in college: You find your voice and find what you’re passionate about.