Sessoms' legacy clear at DSU

Recently resigned president pushed for bold changes in athletic department

DOVER, DE -- In his first months as president at Delaware State University, Allen L. Sessoms challenged the state's other major college to a regular-season football game, professed his desire to change his athletic department to Division I-A and envisioned new on-campus sports buildings.

Sessoms, who resigned earlier this month to take the same job at University of District of Columbia, made an early name by urging for grandiose changes in athletics. While his tenure will end Aug. 31 without having accomplished those missions, Sessoms' five years was a time of dynamic change in athletics.

DSU 2007 MEAC Football Champions visits with Delaware Governor, Ruth Ann Minner at Legislative Hall in late March 2008. (Seated (L-R): DSU Dir. of Athletics Rick Costello, Governor Ruth Ann Minner and DSU head coach Al Lavan surrounded by Hornets football team during visit to Governor's office).

"From the first day, he said to me, 'This is what we're going to do,' " said football coach Al Lavan, who was Sessoms' first major athletic hire in 2004. "That's his legacy." When Sessoms arrived at DSU from Queens College, he had no experience in athletics. He wasted little time, setting an agenda to build a first-class athletics program.

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