Dr. Sue Sherburne serves as Maryland's Executive Associate Athletic Director/Senior Woman Administrator. She assumed the role of Executive Associate Athletic Director in July 2023 after taking on the SWA duties in October 2018. Sherburne enters her ninth school year overall with Maryland Athletics ahead of the 2024-25 school year.
In her role, she provides leadership in the areas of student-athlete and staff development, manages Title IX, diversity and inclusion initiatives, serves as the primary liaison to the University’s Office of Civil Rights and Sexual Misconduct, and is responsible for annually reviewing the Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act Report and the Gender Equity Plan.
Sherburne also has oversight of Academics and Student Development, a position she has held since February of 2016. In this role, Sherburne provides oversight, and strategic direction to Academic Support; Community Engagement; Student-Athlete Advocacy; Student-Athlete Development Units and the Cheerleading Program. She also serves as the athletics department representative on the University’s Sexual Assault Prevention Committee, Hazing Prevention Steering Committee, and Alcohol Coalition.
In early 2018, Sherburne collaborated with the Vice President for University Relations, drafting and illustrating a comprehensive three-part support model for the academic success of student-athletes’ personal and career development, which helped secure a $21.25 million legacy gift for the formation of The Barry and Mary Gossett Center for Academic and Personal Excellence. The Gossett Center will provide student-athletes with the foundation needed to be successful global citizens and make a positive transition to life after college.
Sherburne joined the University of Maryland in 2014 as the Assistant Athletic Director for Life Skills and Career Development. In that role, she developed and implemented Brand U, a 5-year, seminar-style and on-line module, cohort-specific educational curriculum for Maryland student-athletes. The launch of the Brand U program has been praised as innovative and forward-thinking in the ever-changing landscape of Division I college athletics. In addition, · she initiated and collaborated with the Emerging Leaders Program to create the InTERPship Academy and serves as a member of the Step-Up Bystander Intervention National Advisory Board.
Prior to joining the Terrapins, Sherburne was an adjunct faculty member in the Biobehavioral Health Department at Penn State University and an Associate Director at the Morgan Academic Support Center for Student-Athletes. Sherburne also served as an academic counselor for the Men's and Women's Basketball Teams, was the founder and director of the Athletic Director's Leadership Institute (ADLI) and directed the three-time National Championship Penn State Lionettes Dance Team. She previously served as the Big Ten Representative to the Division 1A Athletic Directors Association's CHAMPS Life Skills Advisory Committee that established student development best practices and recognized 1A institutions with the "Program of Excellence" award.
A graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology, Sherburne obtained a Master of Science degree from the Pennsylvania State University in Health Education with an emphasis in Community Health. She completed her Ph. D. in Interpersonal Communication, and her doctoral research focused on communication, interpersonal competence and relational development of college athletes.
A native of Altoona, Pennsylvania, Sue is a certified group fitness instructor and her husband, Mark, joined the Terrapins staff in February 2017 to oversee the day-to-day management of the Facilities, Operations and Events Office and serve as the sport administrator to the wrestling program.
Updated July 1, 2024
