A global search is underway for the inaugural executive director of the.
Announced by in October as a hub for innovation, the Teevens Center will offer programs that fuse cutting-edge research with real-world applications, giving students tools to perform at their best while expanding the reach of the successful program that has been geared to student-athletes.
The center will serve as a cross-disciplinary research and programming hub focused on student well-being, leadership, and performance. It will integrate expertise from fields such as cognitive science, biomechanics, engineering, and quantitative social sciences to explore new approaches to mental health, physical training, and leadership development among student-athletes and the broader student population.
The center is named in honor of the late Buddy Teevens ’79 and his wife, Kirsten. Teevens was an Ivy League Player of the Year as quarterback at Dartmouth and later became the football program’s winningest coach. An advocate for athlete safety and student-centered coaching, Teevens eliminated full-contact tackling during practice to reduce injuries.
This groundbreaking decision led him to collaborate with engineers at the to develop the , the first robotic tackling dummy. The Teevens Center will carry forward this spirit of advancement through collaboration and forward-thinking leadership.
“Buddy was a unifying force in our community,” says , the Haldeman Family Director of Athletics and Recreation. “This is an opportunity to honor and build on his legacy.”
Co-leading the Teevens Center is Chief Health and Wellness Officer .
“The Teevens Center will offer innovative programs that enhance both mental and physical performance—key components of holistic well-being,” says Garcia. “I’m excited to work alongside Mike Harrity and the center’s future executive director to create a model of integrated support that empowers students to reach their full potential.”
The search for an executive director for the Teevens Center has attracted talent from around the world. “We’ve been blown away by the caliber of candidates,” Harrity says. “We’re looking for someone who can build bridges—someone who’s led complex organizations, and who can collaborate with all stakeholders to elevate the health and performance of our community.”
This effort aligns with Dartmouth’s broader , which addresses the eight dimensions of wellness: intellectual, emotional, social, physical, occupational, financial, environmental, and spiritual.
The Teevens Center will complement that commitment, integrating disciplines and expertise across campus to ensure students are not only excelling in their academics and extracurriculars but doing so with purpose, resilience, and balance.
The center will focus on three areas of impact:
- elevating the competitiveness of Dartmouth’s varsity athletics;
- extending elements of Dartmouth Peak Performance program for student-athletes to all undergraduates;
- and driving research and innovation in performance science.
The center will expand offerings beyond varsity athletes, beginning with club sports and then student groups.
“Dartmouth Peak Performance has always supported varsity athletes…but all students aim to perform at their best, whether or not athletics is a part of their Dartmouth experience,” , executive associate athletics director for peak performance, says. “This is our chance to extend that support—starting with foundations like mental performance, nutrition, and leadership.”
Dartmouth recently had the opportunity to test the center’s approach when Melanie Schorr-Haines ’06, a Harvard Medical School professor, endocrinologist, and former Dartmouth track and field All-American, returned to campus to give a talk on nutrition for health and performance. The event, held at Floren Varsity House, was marketed beyond student-athletes, drew broad campus interest, and was open to all community members.
Alongside the Teevens Center, Dartmouth has also established related initiatives to honor Teevens’ legacy, including and dedicating the Buddy Teevens Stadium at Memorial Field.
