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Former NFL player Noor Davis manages day-to-day executive processes and special projects for the Big Ten Conference.

STUDENT PROFILE Noor Davis

Leading the field

Former pro footballer Noor Davis enrolled in Loyola鈥檚 Weekend JD to become a more effective sports executive

Former Minnesota Vikings linebacker Noor Davis knows how to multitask. At Stanford University, he earned BA and MA degrees in a little over four years while playing football. Now as associate director for sports administration for the Big Ten Conference, Davis is bringing his long-perfected time-management and organizational skills to his studies in 黑料门University Chicago School of Law鈥檚 Weekend JD program.

HIGH-PROFILE MENTOR: When Davis was a Stanford undergrad, former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, by then in her role directing Stanford鈥檚 Hoover Institution, selected Davis as an assistant. Rice鈥攚ho recently joined the Denver Broncos鈥� ownership group鈥攂ecame Davis鈥檚 academic advisor 鈥渁nd, like my parents, is a mentor to this day,鈥� he says.

FONDEST FOOTBALL MEMORIES: Davis has stacked up accolades for his achievements on the field. Among his favorite moments: playing in three Rose Bowls and winning two, and receiving the Butkus Award naming him the nation鈥檚 best high-school linebacker. He comes by his talent naturally: his uncle, Andre Tippett, is a Pro Football Hall of Famer, and his father, Christopher Davis, played for the New York Giants and New England Patriots.

LEADERSHIP ASPIRATIONS: After graduating from Stanford in 2017, Davis signed with the Minnesota Vikings but was waived a few months later. In 2019, he accepted a scouting and operations position with the Detroit Lions. 鈥淚鈥檝e always dreamed of ultimately becoming a sports executive: a league commissioner or team president,鈥� he says of his return to the sports world, this time on the business side. 鈥淚 believe in servant leadership, and those roles are where you can have the biggest impact on your teams and the communities you serve.鈥�

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At Stanford, Noor Davis worked as an assistant to Condoleezza Rice, former U.S. Secretary of State, who directed Stanford鈥檚 Hoover Institution. Rice continues to serve as a mentor to Davis.

ROLES AT THE BIG TEN: In 2020, Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren created the role of fellow especially for Davis. Promoted to associate director for sports administration in summer 2022, Davis now manages the administration of Big Ten championship events while also serving as a sports administrator for track and field, cross country, and men鈥檚 gymnastics. He always knew he鈥檇 eventually go to law school, an accreditation he believes will make him a more effective sports executive. 鈥淚鈥檓 planning to stay in the sports space,鈥� he says, 鈥渁nd earning a JD will give me a holistic understanding of legal structures and parameters while making me more analytical in corporate decision-making.鈥�

鈥淟oyola鈥檚 Weekend JD has been a great fit. It鈥檚 a highly ranked program that allows me to use the weekends I鈥檓 not in the classroom to travel for Big Ten events.鈥�

WEEKEND JD A PERFECT FIT: 鈥淟oyola’s Weekend JD has been a great fit,鈥� Davis says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a highly ranked program that allows me to use the weekends I鈥檓 not in the classroom to travel for Big Ten events.鈥� He adds that he gets full support from administrators, faculty, and other students, 鈥渨ho, like me, are all balancing jobs and other commitments. I鈥檝e met so many people doing cool things. I鈥檇 love to see where we all are in 20 to 30 years鈥擨 think we鈥檒l be leaders in our respective spaces and be able to impact a lot of lives.鈥�

REPRESENTATION MATTERS: 鈥淚鈥檝e never seen anything like what I see at Loyola,鈥� Davis says. 鈥淲e have so many women, including Black women, in positions of leadership. It鈥檚 so important because representation matters. I don鈥檛 know if I鈥檇 aspire to be a sports commissioner if I hadn鈥檛 seen a commissioner who looks like me.鈥� 鈥�Gail Mansfield (August 2022)