Tim Curley was meant to be in State College. He's moved up the ranks through the years, from a two-month-old baby to the University's brand-new athletic director, but he's never moved out.

And leaving State College has been the last thing on his mind this past week.

Curley, 39, was named to succeed the retired Jim Tarman as the University's head athletic director on Dec. 30 at a press conference before the CompUSA Flordia Citrus Bowl. University President Joab Thomas' announcement marked the end of a five-and-a-half-month national search for Tarman's replacement, which was conducted by a 15-member search committee.

And since then, Curley's office has been busy.

"Since we got back (from the Citrus Bowl) on Monday, I've been trying to meet with coaches, hold staff meetings, follow up on bowl ideas and get my thoughts organized," he said. "When the students get back (today), we'll start to move forward."

Curley has eight immediate priorities on his agenda:

-- continue compliance with NCAA, Big Ten and Penn State regulations

-- promote diversity among University athletic staff and student athletes

-- move forward with Big Ten Gender Equity Action Policy Plan

-- continue addressing student-athlete welfare issues to provide a system in which student athletes' concerns can be heard

-- enhance the University's club and recreational sports programs

-- continue upgrading existing facilities while creating long-range plans for new facilities

-- keep former student-athletes close to the program by expanding the University's Former Letter Award Winners Organization

-- find a successor for football Coach Joe Paterno, 67, who said he'd like to coach until he's at least 70 years old

Curley said that much of his excitement for his new position stems from things already existent within the University's athletic department: the staff and the conference.

"Our membership into the Big Ten will take us to greater heights. The challenge now is to make the best of the opportunity," he said, adding that Penn State's transitioning process into the Big Ten will be completed at the end of this academic year.

Curley said that in addition to focusing equally on his eight priorities, non-Big Ten teams' funding problems have not been forgotten.

"We have an ongoing strategic planning process in place," he said. "It's on the docket for review."

Curley already has some experience in heading an athletic department as an associate athletic director and Tarman's right-hand man since 1992.

"He'll do an outstanding job," Tarman said. "I gave him a lot of experience in various areas of the department and with external groups. He knows Penn State."

Curley was raised on Penn State athletics. He grew up in a house with five brothers on Park Avenue across from the old Beaver Field.

After graduating from State College Area High School, Curley walked on to the Nittany Lions' football team and made the squad. His football career was cut short by injuries, but he continued with the program as an undergraduate and graduate assistant coach, and as the Nittany Lions' first full-time recruiting coach.

It wasn't far from there to Rec Hall, where Curley worked as the assistant to the athletic director for 11 years before becoming an associate athletic director.

"I never dreamed about being athletic director," said Curley, who used to sell game programs and park cars at Beaver Stadium as a kid.

Curley's keen knowledge of Penn State is something that Robert E. Dunham, the chairman of the search committee to find a new athletic director, marks as one of his strongest points.

"He's done a lot of work with Jim Tarman and he's well liked by student-athletes and coaches," Dunham said. "He's a young guy on the way up."

Up yes. But so far, not out.

"I've lived here since I was two or three months old," Curley said. "I grew up around Penn State athletes. I've been very fortunate. I've never had any desire to look elsewhere."