Paying It Forward - One Individual at a Time

Mark Papadopoulos, better known as, “Pop”, has spent nine years with the Saint Mary’s College Athletic Department where he is the Associate Athletic Director for Operations. Pop, growing up in a sports family, always felt like athletics would be the career path he would take, however, it was not until Pop transferred to Sonoma State University that he knew athletics was his utopia.  

While at Sonoma State University, Pop met Mitch Cox, someone Pop considers an important mentor and deciding factor in his pursuit to work in college athletics. Under Mitch’s wing, the philosophy to “pay it forward” and give other students the same opportunities through mentorship was adopted.  

Once arriving on the Saint Mary’s campus for the Graduate Program in Kinesiology (formerly Health, Physical Education, and Recreation), Pop continued to gain advice from faculty like Dr. Craig Johnson and Professor Bill Manning while also fulfilling his promise to Mitch. By creating these relationships Pop was able to finish the program and go on to work in professional sports, college athletics (both Junior College and Division I), and assist with other events such as the NCAA Sweet Sixteen Rounds hosted at Oracle Arena and HP Pavilion in the early 2000s.

Now, back at Saint Mary’s, Pop enjoys working with Professor Bill Manning’s KINES 374: Planning & Staging Sport Events course, giving students an opportunity to gain experience working various SMC games under his wing, and the “at home” feeling he received as a student in the Master of Arts in Kinesiology program. Pop is a proud alumni who truly lives his, “pay it forward” motto.