Penn State men’s basketball coach Pat Chambers has been named an ambassador to the John McLendon Minority Scholarship Foundation’s Minority Leadership Initiative (MLI).

“I’ve committed to help create change in the sport of basketball and in our society, and it is an honor to support this effort and the legacy of Coach John McLendon,” Chambers said. “These opportunities, at Penn State and other institutions, will help develop the future leaders in collegiate athletics.”

According to its website, the MLI is a coach-driven program that wants to “provide minorities a jump-start to their careers through practical experiences, opportunities to build their network, and instilling the values of John McLendon: Integrity, Education, Leadership, and Mentorship.”

As a part of its program, the MLI hopes its “Future Leaders” will come away with five learning outcomes — Interviewing, Networking, Decision Making, Leadership, and Career Planning.

John McLendon became the first Black head coach in professional sports history in 1962 when he was hired by the Cleveland Pipers. Additionally, he became the first Black head coach of a major college basketball program in 1967 when Cleveland State hired him. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1979 as a contributor, and then again in 2016 as a coach.

If you’re interested, you can donate to the Minority Leadership Initiative here.