Eric Mayes is a Chief Executive and professor, a formercollege football coach andAmerican footballlinebacker. His research focuses on culture and cognition and leadership development.
Mayes played for theUniversity of Michigan football team as a walk-on and was later elected co-captain of the undefeated1997 Michigan Wolverines football team that won theAssociated Pressnational championship.[1][2] Mayes, called Zeus by his teammates, was such a motivational and inspirational leader that after suffering a season-ending injury during the teams national championship run, his teammates handed him theBig Ten Conference championship trophy, hoisted him on their shoulders and carried him off the field after defeatingOhio State atMichigan Stadium, 20–14.[3] During the team's visit withBill Clinton at theWhite House, Mayes shared remarks and presented the President with a Michigan jersey and made him an honorary "Michigan Man."[4]
At the end of his playing career, Mayes enrolled in graduate school at theUniversity of Michigan and worked with the University of Michigan football team on student-athlete development. He also spent time working with Central Michigan University Football team in recruitment and player development while on the faculty at Johns Hopkins University. After graduating with a Master of Science from theUniversity of Michigan, Mayes worked as a high school technology teacher and coach in Detroit, before earning his Ph.D. fromHoward University. He later graduated fromHarvard University with a post doctorate master's degree focused on education policy and management. After working on national policy issues in Washington, D.C., Mayes joined the faculty atJohns Hopkins University.[5] before going into higher education and transitioning into public sector executive leadership.