Ben Cherington isn’t diving back into a Major League Baseball front office job just yet, as the former Boston Red Sox general manager has accepted a position at Columbia University.
Columbia’s sports management program announced Monday that Cherington will be the “Executive-in-Residence” and will teach a class this spring on the topic of leadership in sports. The class is part of the Master of Science in Sports Management degree program at the renowned university.
Cherington joined the Red Sox front office in 1999 and worked his way up to becoming the club’s GM in 2011. The Red Sox won a World Series with Cherington as the GM in 2013, but he left the organization in August when Boston hired Dave Dombrowski as its new president of baseball operations.
Cherington’s switch to academia is interesting given his extensive baseball background. It certainly represents a new challenge, though. And the 41-year-old is embracing the opportunity to work alongside Vince Gennaro, the director of the program, which is the Ivy League’s only graduate sports management program.
“I’m honored to join the team at Columbia. Vince and his team have built a program that brings students and industry leaders together in the most current and impactful ways.” Cherington said, according to a press release. “Two of my favorite parts of working in baseball have been to collaborate with outstanding people looking to make a difference and to help others grow. I hope sharing my experience can help play a small role in Columbia’s mission to prepare its students for a meaningful and impactful career in the sports industry.”
Perhaps someday Cherington will return to the MLB ranks. For now, he’s devoted to helping students thrive in the classroom.
Thumbnail photo via Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports Images
