Coppin State AD seizes every opportunity

Former NFL player has raised the bar at Coppin State and made graduating a top priority for student-athletes.

BALTIMORE, Maryland  -- Derrick Ramsey believes in the axiom that timing is everything.

His experiences have taught him that, and he is now passing along that message from his position as the director of athletics at Coppin State.

Before Ramsey arrived at his current job, the school’s Graduation Success Rate was 58 percent. That number has grown to 75 percent, which is part of a culture change he has instilled that emphasizes graduating over staying eligible.

Ramsey is an example of what can happen when a strong work ethic meets opportunity.

He was a standout quarterback at Kentucky, played nine years in the NFL as a tight end, purchased and managed properties in the real estate business, then returned to his alma mater as an administrator. He also has served as deputy secretary of commerce for the state of Kentucky and has run athletics departments at two HBCUs.

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