Alumni

Sport Management Alumni Reunite in Hartford

Sport Management Program alumniAlumni, faculty, and students from the Sport Management Program reunited in Hartford, Connecticut in August at Salute Restaurant. The happy hour included many laughs, great food, and even better conversations. The event served as an opportunity to build upon the pre-existing relationships that have been established throughout our alumni base as well as expand and meet other professionals in the field with similar academic backgrounds. The event included close to 15 alumni from the local area. Overall, this series provides our alumni with the chance to reconnect with old friends and allows the program to expand beyond the University of Connecticut. Thanks to everyone who came, we look forward to future events together! To view photos from the event, visit this link.

Sport Management’s 5th Annual Career Night in Sport

Jennie McGarry, Jamelle Elliot, Danielle DeRosa, Laura Burton
Pictured from left to right: Dr. Jennifer McGarry, keynote speaker Jamelle Elliot, Danielle DeRosa and Dr. Laura Burton, October 2018

The saying goes, “it’s all about who you know” and this fall, UConn’s Sport Management Program successfully facilitated an incredible night of networking with sport professionals, at their annual Career Night in Sport Event, for its fifth year.

Although the idea of networking comes hand-in-hand with any profession, the event strategically hosted 22 sport management program alumni including current graduate students, who are now working in the field as sport professionals. Through various breakout sessions in addition to the keynote speaker, alumna Jamelle Elliott, the event focused on diversifying the networking experience by exposing its students to recent graduates and current graduate students in the Sport Management program.

This year featured a new approach which included six break-out forums, in the following areas:

  • Broadcasting and Journalism
  • Finding a Career in Sport
  • Graduation to Graduate School
  • Navigating the Field
  • Sport in Education and Community
  • Women in Sport

Students were invited to participate in two forums that appealed to their professional interests. Allowing students to choose these sessions exposed them to working professionals who shared real life experiences, their roadblocks and lessons, while simultaneously connecting them with local alumni as a means to hone in on their networking skills.

Department of Educational Leadership’s Program Specialist, Danielle DeRosa alluded to these changes and how these forums made the night’s more intimate and informative.

“This year we decided to reformat the event and change the structure to reflect one that was used a few years back. This allowed students and alumni to interact with each other in smaller groups that more directly aligned expertise and interests. In looking at the event feedback, it seems like both students and alumni really enjoyed it!”

The event also included valuable lessons shared by Jamelle Elliot, UConn’s newly appointed Associate Athletic Director. Elliot spoke about the ups and downs that relate to sport stating,

“A career in sport is never guaranteed, but with a combination of hard work, dedication, and proper goal setting, you will get to where you want to be.”

It is events like these that help UConn’s students realize their true potential and further prepare them for a competitive industry. The program continues to strive to provide opportunities like this throughout the year and appreciates everyone who contributed in making this a successful event.

Please visit the Neag School of Education's Facebook page for photos from the event.

Join UConnSPM for UConn’s Day at the Yankees – June 29, 2018

Please join UConn’s New York Alumni Network for the 2nd UConn Day with the New York Yankees as they face their rival, the Boston Red Sox on June 29, 2018.

PURCHASE your tickets here and RSVP below for a fun night out!

RSVP

    Hard Rock Cafe | 4:00 pm 1 E. 161st St, Gate 6 Bronx, NY 10451
    Yankee Stadium | 7:05 pm 1 E. 161st St Bronx, NY 10451
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For ticket purchasing inquiries, please contact Chris DePalma via email or by phone at (718) 579-4484.

Sport Management Alumna Visits Pyeongchang For 2018 Winter Olympics

Olympics rings in 2018
Ithaca College School of Business Sport Management students during their visit to Pyeongchang, South Korea during the 2018 Winter Olympics.

Associate Sport Management professor at Ithaca College, Dr. Rachel Madsen, had a very exciting opportunity this past February to travel to Pyeongchang, South Korea and volunteer at the 2018 Winter Olympics.

Madsen, a 2010 graduate from the Sport Management and Women Studies doctoral programs, spent over two weeks in South Korea with 20 Ithaca College School of Business Sport Management students.

During her first ever Olympics, Madsen and her team worked specifically with the event operations department in seven different competition venues, interacting with fans, athletes and coaches to provide customer service.

She and three of her students volunteered in the skating rink that housed figure skating and short track speed skating. Because those are two of the most popular events in the Olympics, they are typically scheduled to air live during U.S. prime time, meaning very early mornings for Rachel and her team.

Hockey rink, Rachel Madsen
Dr. Rachel Madsen, overlooking the skating facilities in South Korea during the Winter Olympics.

“Many days for us required waking up at 4:30 a.m. to catch a 5:15 a.m. bus to the skating rink. From 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., we managed the fans and other visitors to ensure that everyone had a positive experience while also staying safe and not interfering with the athletes,” she said.

When asked about one of the greatest experiences that she had during her trip, Rachel said it’s too hard to narrow it down to just one.

“We often came face to face with famous athletes and other VIP’s, such as IOC members and the Today Show hosts. We were able to attend history-making events as fans, which was a dream come true. The Korean Olympic Committee often provided free tickets for volunteers to attend events, as long as the event wasn’t sold out,” she said. “Additionally, as Americans, we were often treated like celebrities by Korean fans and volunteers. Many Korean fans asked us where we were from and when we said New York, they often wanted to take pictures with us.”

Though Rachel spent only 17 days in South Korea, her students were lucky enough to spend five weeks assisting at the games. In doing so, they were able to take part in a monumental worldwide event and appreciate the importance of embracing culture and diversity.

“The students really learned what it takes to put on an event of this size. When watching the Olympics on TV, it’s impossible to understand the incredibly complicated logistics of organizing, training, transporting, housing, feeding and motivating 20,000 volunteers,” she said. “Being part of a large volunteer staff also enabled them to interact and become friends with other volunteers from all around the world.”

Career Night in Sport 2017: Alumni/Undergraduate Networking Opportunity

The UConn Sport Management program held it’s fourth annual Career Night in Sport, a night where alumni came together with current undergraduate students to network, share their personal experiences working in the industry and provide advice on how to be successful in the sports field post graduation. Cristy Vincente, a senior in the program, coordinated this year’s Career Night with help from the department and Maggie McEvilly, also a senior this year, covered the event during the night of to receive feedback from both students and alumni.

Event Photos

Summer Networking Series: Sport Management Alumni Reunite in Hartford

Sport Managemnt Event in Hartford
Sport Management alumni and friends gathered for an evening of networking on Aug. 24, 2017.

The UConn Sport Management program held its third annual summer networking event at the Salute Restaurant in downtown Hartford, Conn. on August 24, 2017.

The night was filled with many laughs and stories shared between alumni, faculty and sport professionals, paired with great food and drinks. The event served as an opportunity for the programs’ alumni to reconnect in a positive, outdoor atmosphere.

Many of the incoming Sport Management graduate students were also in attendance at this years event and were able to meet with some of the established and successful alumni who are still in the area.

Attendees included Sport Management faculty members Dr. Laura Burton, Dr. Joseph Cooper and Dr. Jennifer McGarry. Several alumni who are currently working with UConn Athletics were also present at the event, including Kristina Tedford, Danielle Upham and Jason Lublin.

Sport Managemnt Event in Hartford
Sport Management alumni and friends gathered for an evening of networking on Aug. 24, 2017.

Members of the Sport Management faculty, staff and internship programs who planned this networking event enjoyed providing an opportunity for alumni to stay connected with the program, as well as the new and past individuals who will always be a part of it.

The event marked a perfect end to the summer and an exciting start to the upcoming school year. As the fall semester commences, the program is looking forward to the annual Career Night in Sport, which will be held on October 17. Information and registration for this event can be found on the Sport Management website, under ‘Upcoming Events’.

Event Photos