Southeast Missouri State hopes to have an athletic director in place a little more than a month from now.

"By April 20 we hope to have made an offer and made a selection," said Kathy Mangels, Southeast's vice president for finance and administration.

The university is using a search firm to help with the process. Southeast hired Parker Executive Search of Atlanta, which has assisted in similar searches for numerous Division I athletic programs.

"With the help of the search firm, I think things are moving along well," Mangels said. "I think we've got a lot to offer."

Southeast is in the market for an athletic director after John Shafer retired June 30 after about 2 1/2 years on the job.

Southeast used a search firm in the hiring of Shafer and also used a search firm to conduct its athletics review in 2008.

Mangels said Southeast still is in the process of accepting applications. That will continue through the end of this month. The university has received numerous applications from across the country and expects many more.

Mangels said Southeast will start narrowing its list of potential candidates at the beginning of April.

"At that time we'll start looking at who we want to bring in for the first round of interviews," she said.

Cindy Gannon, Southeast's associate director of athletics/senior woman administrator, is serving as Southeast's interim athletic director until the position is filled. She has been directing the department on an interim bases since Shafer retired.

Gannon also served as the interim athletic director between Don Kaverman, who was let go in October 2008, and Shafer.

"Cindy has done a great job for the university. She's a great leader, a great manager," Mangels said.

It is believed that Gannon has applied for the position but she could not be reached for comment. Mangels would not say whether Gannon has submitted her application.