In football, just like life, you don’t win all the time, and those losses, those “L’s,” can either “make you bitter or make you better.”
“I call it the art of taking L’s,” says Chanelle Reynolds, a Wilmington University doctoral student, speaker, author, podcaster and NFL changemaker. “When you experience these losses, it’s going to take you to a new level that you weren’t expecting.”
She tackles the topic in two self-help books, “The Art of Taking L’s” and “The Success Playbook,” as well as “The Success Playbook Podcast” and a TEDx Talk on recovering from fumbles. Reynolds considers her biggest loss that of her mother, Rella, an educator and WilmU graduate who passed away in 2023 — but not before seeing her daughter join the Washington Commanders organization and later become its first diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) lead.
“She decorated our Eagles household with all things Washington Commanders to celebrate this moment,” Reynolds recalls. After her death, “I had to find the strength to pick myself up and move forward.”
Route to a DBA
Reynolds is pursuing a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) degree at Wilmington University after earning a bachelor’s from Delaware State University and an MBA from Drexel University.
“To be the best, you have to always be a learner, continue to be coachable and really be a master of your craft,” says Reynolds, who chose WilmU because “from the application process up until my official acceptance, I was just treated with so much kindness, so much warmth.” She describes her cohort as a family, which isn’t “something that you can get at just any university.”
The respect is mutual. University leaders admire how she’s “breaking barriers” in the sports industry.
“Chanelle Reynolds embodies the spirit of Wilmington University’s DBA program,” says Dr. Robin Weinstein, dean of the College of Business. “Her work demonstrates the power of education to drive meaningful change, and we are proud to support her as she continues to create a lasting impact both professionally and academically. Chanelle’s success is a testament to her dedication, drive and the values we instill in our students: excellence, integrity and service.”
Route to Business Leadership
Her doctoral dissertation examines “the gender gap of women in leadership at professional sports teams and strategies to address that,” Reynolds says. She also gave a TEDx Talk in South Africa about “women navigating the workplace.”
Reynolds began her career in sales for the Delaware 87ers, now the Delaware Blue Coats, an affiliate of the Philadelphia 76ers. At the Commanders, she launched a group sales department and founded the team’s first employee resource group before pivoting to DEI.
“I’m tasked with ensuring that we have an atmosphere of belonging for every employee, knowing they can show up authentically as themselves,” Reynolds says. “I find joy in that. I definitely feel that this is my calling, and I’m excited to pursue it.”
In addition to empowering and training employees, she helps unite football fans through events like Hispanic Heritage Night, Pride Night Out, and HBCU Night Out to honor historically Black colleges and universities.
“I love the impact that I’m making here with the team, and I look forward to continuing to do that with the expertise that I’m gaining by pursuing this doctorate degree and this dissertation project,” Reynolds says. “I think that I’m walking in my purpose.”
When she graduates later this year, her twin sister — Dr. Chanda Reynolds, a clinical psychologist who taught at WilmU — will be there to support her. Together they host the “Double Dose Podcast,” covering everything from faith to business to entertainment.
At commencement, Chanelle Reynolds will carry something special: a photo of their mom. “I can’t wait to walk across the stage holding her picture,” she says. “We’re going to live it up for her.”
Advance as a leader with Wilmington University’s Doctor of Business Administration degree. The fully online program blends theory and practice, emphasizing critical thinking, disciplined inquiry, leadership management, communication skills and ethics.