The University of Massachusetts Board of Trustees approved the creation of the Dr. J. Keith Motley Chair of Sports Leadership & Administration last week. The chair will head a new sports management program to be funded by a $5 million pledge from Boston-based footwear and apparel company New Balance.

“Dr. Motley has dedicated his professional life to education and youth development,” said UMass Boston Chancellor Katherine Newman. “He is beloved by students and faculty at the university, where he served as Chancellor for over a decade. Endowing this chair in his name will serve to inspire everyone who participates in a program that embodies the spirit of his life’s work.”

“We are enormously thankful for the generosity of New Balance in enabling a program that aligns perfectly with the UMass Boston mission by creating a whole new area of opportunity in a key industry for members of the diverse community we serve,” she added.

Dr. Motley, who served as chancellor of the Dorchester campus from 2007 to 2017, is also a former college basketball coach and founder of the Roxbury Preparatory Charter School, the Concerned Black Men of Massachusetts, and the Paul Robeson Institute for Positive Self-Development. He also serves on the board of several community organizations, including Carney Hospital, Freedom House, and the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation.

Motley expressed gratitude for the endowment and excitement for the future of the program in a statement.

“Endowing the chair in my name is both a tremendous personal honor and a tribute to my family members and mentors, both academic and athletic, who instilled in me a love of, and passion for, helping young people. The partnership between these giants of the academic and athletic worlds will help create a generation of leaders who will contribute at the highest level of sports administration,” said Motley.

The $5 million pledge by New Balance to support the new program is the largest in UMass Boston history.

“New Balance is proud to reflect Dr. Keith Motley’s tremendous passion and dedication to youth and education through this innovative sports management and leadership program that will enable UMass Boston students to be uniquely prepared for career opportunities in the sports industry,” said Rob DeMartini, President & CEO of New Balance.

According to Charlie Titus, UMB Vice Chancellor of Athletics and Recreation, the sports leadership program was designed to create new career pathways and bring additional diversity to the leadership and management ranks of the sports industry. The B.A. program will be available to 25 full-time and 10 part-time students beginning in the Fall 2019 semester.

The program’s advisory board will include sports legends such as Olympic track star Edwin Moses, former New England Patriot Andre Tippett, Boston Celtics star Tom “Satch” Sanders, and Baseball Hall of Fame executive Jeff Idelson, as well as representatives of the Red Sox, Celtics, Patriots, ESPN, and New Balance.