Jamie Pollard Will Retire from Iowa State

A2

Jamie Pollard Will Retire from Iowa State

Jamie Pollard 將從愛荷華州立大學退休


Introduction

Jamie Pollard is the sports director at Iowa State University. He will stop working on June 30, 2027.

Jamie Pollard 是愛荷華州立大學的體育總監。他將於 2027 年 6 月 30 日停止工作。

Main Body

Mr. Pollard worked at the university for 22 years. His teams won 24 big titles. Many athletes became champions. The football and basketball teams played in many big games.

Pollard 先生在該大學工作了 22 年。他的團隊贏得了 24 個大項冠軍。許多運動員成為了冠軍。美式足球和籃球隊參加了許多大型賽事。

Mr. Pollard wants to spend more time with his family. He wants to retire while he is still healthy. He and his family lived in Ames since 2005.

Pollard 先生希望花更多時間陪伴家人。他希望在身體健康時退休。他與家人自 2005 年起就住在 Ames。

The university wants a smooth change. They will look for a new director in the autumn of 2026. The new person will start by June 2027.

大學希望能順利交接。他們將在 2026 年秋天尋找新總監。新任人選將於 2027 年 6 月前上任。

Conclusion

Iowa State will look for a new sports director starting this fall.

愛荷華州立大學將從今年秋天開始尋找新任體育總監。

Vocabulary Learning

⏳ Time-Travel Words

In this story, we see three ways to talk about time. To reach A2, you need to know the difference between Past, Now, and Future.

1. The Past (It's finished) Look at these words: worked, won, became, played, lived. → They all end in -ed (mostly). This means the action is over. Example: Mr. Pollard worked for 22 years.

2. The Future (It will happen) Look for the word: will. → Whenever you see will, the action is moving forward in time. Example: He will stop working in 2027.

3. The Now (Wishes and Current States) Look at: wants, is. → This tells us how the person feels right now. Example: He wants to spend time with family.


Quick Guide for your notes:

  • Finished \text{→} add -ed
  • Coming soon \text{→} use will
  • Current feeling \text{→} use -s (for one person)

Vocabulary Learning

retire (v.)
To stop working because you are older
Example:My grandfather will retire next year.
director (n.)
A person who is in charge of an organization or department
Example:The director of the school is very kind.
athlete (n.)
A person who is good at sports
Example:The athlete won a gold medal in the race.
champion (n.)
Someone who wins a competition
Example:The tennis player is the world champion.
smooth (adj.)
Happening easily without problems
Example:The move to the new house was very smooth.
autumn (n.)
The season between summer and winter
Example:The leaves change color in the autumn.
B2

Iowa State Athletics Director Jamie Pollard Announces Retirement

愛荷華州立大學體育總監 Jamie Pollard 宣布退休


Introduction

Jamie Pollard, the Director of Athletics at Iowa State University, has announced that he plans to retire on June 30, 2027.

愛荷華州立大學體育總監 Jamie Pollard 已宣布計劃於 2027 年 6 月 30 日退休。

Main Body

This transition comes after twenty-two years of service, making Pollard the longest-serving active athletics director in the Power 4 category. During his leadership, the university achieved significant success, including 24 Big 12 team titles in eight different sports and 24 individual NCAA champions. Furthermore, the football team played in 11 bowl games, winning the 2021 Fiesta Bowl, while the men's and women's basketball teams reached the NCAA Tournament 12 and 17 times, respectively.

這次交接是在他服務二十二年後發生的,使得 Pollard 成為 Power 4 類別中任職最久的現任體育總監。在他的領導下,大學取得了顯著的成功,包括在八個不同項目中贏得 24 個 Big 12 團隊冠軍以及 24 個 NCAA 個人冠軍。此外,美式足球隊參加了 11 場碗賽,並贏得 2021 年的 an Fiesta Bowl,而男子與女子籃球隊則分別 12 次與 17 次進入 NCAA 錦標賽。

Pollard explained that he decided to retire to focus on his family and to enjoy his retirement while he is still in good health. He also mentioned that his family has felt very welcome in the Ames community since 2005. To ensure a smooth transition during a time of great change in college sports, the university and President Cook decided to announce the vacancy early. Consequently, a national search for a new director will begin in the autumn of 2026 to find a qualified successor by June 2027.

Pollard 解釋,他決定退休是為了專注於家庭,並在健康狀況良好時享受退休生活。他還提到,自 2005 年以來,他的家人在 Ames 社區感受到了非常熱情的歡迎。為了在大學體育面臨巨大變革的時期確保平穩交接,大學與 Cook 校長決定提前公布職位空缺。因此,全國範圍的新總監搜尋工作將於 2026 年秋天開始,以便在 2027 年 6 月前找到合適的繼任者。

Conclusion

Iowa State will start a national search this fall to find a replacement for Jamie Pollard by June 2027.

愛荷華州立大學將於今年秋天展開全國搜尋,以在 2027 年 6 月前找到 Jamie Pollard 的接替人。

Vocabulary Learning

🧩 The "Connecting Word" Upgrade

At the A2 level, you likely use and, but, and because to join your ideas. To move toward B2, you need Logical Connectors. These words act like bridges, showing the reader exactly how two ideas relate to each other without using simple words.

🚀 From A2 to B2: The Transformation

Look at these phrases from the text and see how they upgrade the flow of information:

  1. "Furthermore" \rightarrow The Upgrade for "Also"

    • A2: The team won titles and they played in bowl games.
    • B2: The university achieved significant success; furthermore, the football team played in 11 bowl games.
    • Coach's Tip: Use this when you want to add a new, impressive point to your argument.
  2. "Consequently" \rightarrow The Upgrade for "So"

    • A2: The sports world is changing, so the university announced the vacancy early.
    • B2: There is a time of great change in college sports; consequently, the university decided to announce the vacancy early.
    • Coach's Tip: This word signals a direct result. It sounds professional and decisive.

🔍 The "Respectively" Trick

There is a very specific B2-level word in the text: "respectively."

"...basketball teams reached the NCAA Tournament 12 and 17 times, respectively."

What does it do? It tells the reader that the numbers follow the same order as the items mentioned.

  • Men's team \rightarrow 12 times
  • Women's team \rightarrow 17 times

Instead of writing two separate sentences, a B2 speaker uses respectively to keep the sentence clean and academic.

Vocabulary Learning

transition (n.)
The process of changing from one state or condition to another.
Example:The company is managing the transition to a new digital platform.
significant (adj.)
Sufficiently great or important to be worthy of attention; noteworthy.
Example:The new policy led to a significant increase in student enrollment.
respectively (adv.)
In the order previously mentioned.
Example:Alice and Bob are 20 and 22 years old, respectively.
vacancy (n.)
An unoccupied official post or job position.
Example:The manager is interviewing candidates to fill the vacancy in the sales department.
consequently (adv.)
As a result of something that has happened.
Example:The weather was terrible; consequently, the outdoor event was cancelled.
successor (n.)
A person who succeeds another in an office or position.
Example:The board of directors is searching for a qualified successor to the CEO.
C2

Notification of the Impending Retirement of Iowa State Athletics Director Jamie Pollard

愛荷華州立大學體育總監 Jamie Pollard 即將退休通知


Introduction

Jamie Pollard, the Director of Athletics at Iowa State University, has announced his intention to retire on June 30, 2027.

愛荷華州立大學體育總監 Jamie Pollard 已宣布,他計畫於 2027 年 6 月 30 日退休。

Main Body

The administrative transition follows a twenty-two-year tenure, during which Pollard established himself as the longest-serving active athletics director within the Power 4 classification. This period of leadership was characterized by significant institutional advancement, evidenced by the acquisition of 24 Big 12 team titles across eight distinct sporting disciplines and the production of 24 NCAA individual champions. Notable programmatic achievements include the football team's participation in 11 bowl games—highlighted by a 2021 Fiesta Bowl victory—and consistent postseason appearances for both the men's and women's basketball programs, with 12 and 17 NCAA Tournament berths respectively.

此次行政交接是在其任職二十二年後進行的,在此期間,Pollard 成為了 Power 4 分類中任職最久的現任體育總監。這段領導期以顯著的體制進步為特徵,證據在於於八個不同體育項目中贏得 24 個 Big 12 團隊冠軍,並培養出 24 位 NCAA 個人冠軍。顯著的計畫成就包括美式足球隊參加了 11 場碗賽(其中 2021 年的 an Fiesta Bowl 勝利為亮點),而男籃與女籃計畫亦持續在季後賽亮相,分別獲得 12 次與 17 次 NCAA 錦標賽參賽資格。

Regarding the impetus for this departure, Pollard cited the prioritization of familial well-being and the desire to commence retirement while maintaining optimal health. He further noted the professional and personal integration of his family into the Ames community since 2005. To ensure institutional stability during a period of systemic transformation within collegiate athletics, the university has coordinated with President Cook to announce the vacancy in advance. Consequently, a nationwide search for a successor is scheduled to commence in the autumn of 2026, with the transition finalized upon the appointment of a qualified candidate or by the stipulated June 2027 date.

關於離職的原因,Pollard 提到需優先考慮家庭福祉,並希望在維持最佳健康狀態時開始退休生活。他進一步指出,自 2005 年起,其家人在專業與私人生活方面已融入 Ames 社區。為了確保大學體育體制轉型期間的穩定,大學已與 Cook 校長協調,提前宣布該職位將空缺。因此,全國性的接任者搜尋計畫於 2026 年秋季開始,交接將在任命合適候選人或至 2027 年 6 月指定日期時完成。

Conclusion

Iowa State will initiate a national search this fall to replace Jamie Pollard by June 2027.

愛荷華州立大學將於今年秋季啟動全國搜尋,以在 2027 年 6 月前接替 Jamie Pollard。

Vocabulary Learning

The Architecture of 'Administrative Gravity'

To ascend from B2 to C2, a student must move beyond communicating meaning and begin manipulating tone through lexical density and nominalization. This text is a masterclass in Institutional Formalism, where the writer deliberately replaces verbs (actions) with nouns (states) to create an aura of permanence and objectivity.

◈ The Nominalization Pivot

Observe how the text avoids simple narrative verbs. Instead of saying "Pollard is leaving because he wants to spend time with his family," the author employs:

*"Regarding the impetus for this departure, Pollard cited the prioritization of familial well-being..."

C2 Insight: By turning the action (departing) into a noun (departure), the writer detaches the event from the person, transforming a personal decision into an administrative fact. This is the hallmark of high-level bureaucratic and academic English.

◈ Lexical Precision: The 'Nuance Gap'

B2 students use general adjectives; C2 masters use domain-specific qualifiers. Compare these pairings:

B2 ApproximationC2 Institutional PrecisionAnalysis
Long timeTwenty-two-year tenure'Tenure' implies a formal holding of office, not just duration.
Big changesSystemic transformation'Systemic' implies the change is built into the very structure of the organization.
Set dateStipulated date'Stipulated' suggests a legal or contractual requirement.

◈ Syntactic Compression

Note the use of the appositive phrase and participial modifiers to pack data into a single sentence without losing coherence:

"...highlighted by a 2021 Fiesta Bowl victory—and consistent postseason appearances... with 12 and 17 NCAA Tournament berths respectively."

The use of "respectively" is a non-negotiable C2 tool. It allows for the precise mapping of two sets of data (Men's/Women's basketball \rightarrow 12/17 berths) without the clunky repetition of "The men's team had 12 and the women's had 17."


Mastery takeaway: To write at this level, stop describing what people do and start describing the phenomena they create.

Vocabulary Learning

impending (adj.)
About to happen; forthcoming, often used in the context of something unavoidable.
Example:The city braced itself for the impending storm.
tenure (n.)
The period of time during which a person holds a specific office or position.
Example:During her tenure as CEO, the company expanded into three new international markets.
impetus (n.)
The force or motivation that makes a process happen or an event occur.
Example:The desire for better urban transit provided the impetus for the new legislation.
stipulated (v./adj.)
Demanded or specified as a necessary condition of an agreement.
Example:The contract stipulated that the project must be completed by the end of the fiscal year.
berths (n.)
In a sporting context, a secured place or qualification for a competition or tournament.
Example:The team fought hard throughout the season to secure one of the few available playoff berths.
Practice All words in a crossword