David Boles Position: Associate AD/Student Services Institution: Mississippi State University

Heading up the all-encompassing area of academic student services for Mississippi State's (MSU) athletics department, Dr. David C. Boles is in the 19th year of his second tour of duty with MSU's athletics family.

Boles has a split appointment between the provost office and the athletics department. He was named MSU's director of student support and retention in August 2000, now directing the Academic Advising Center for the entire campus.

Originally from Abilene, Kan., the 1965 Kansas State alumnus serves as MSU's associate athletics director for student services. Charged with overseeing eligibility certification, compliance, and academics, Boles rejoined the MSU staff in 1988 after a three-year stint as the assistant to the superintendent of schools at Great Bend, Kan.

Boles is a 1996 recipient of the Contributions to Amateur Football Award, presented by the National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame.

In 1999, Boles received the All-American Football Foundation's award for his work in athletics academics. Boles was the 2000 recipient of the Service-Above-Self award from the Starkville Rotary Club.

In 2003, Boles was named a meritorious graduate of Chapman High School in Chapman, Kan. He was a 1961 graduate of the school.

In addition to his previous three-year stop (1982-84) at Mississippi State, Boles has also served as the director of academic advising and tutoring at Tennessee (1984-85) and Colorado (1979-82).

Boles received his master's degree from Kansas State and earned a doctorate in educational administration at Colorado. He also worked as a graduate assistant at Oklahoma (1967-70) prior to beginning his athletics administration career as a teacher/coach in the Boulder Valley (Colo.) School District.

Boles is married to the former Ellen Hassler of Chapman, Kan. They are the parents of two sons, Russell and Jon.