Getting INvolved

Tatianna Montalvo knew before starting her college career she was passionate about sports. This passion grew stronger in her role as a team manager for her high school varsity football team; an experience that inspired her to apply to colleges and universities that offered football opportunities. Her determination led her to UConn and as an incoming freshman, she had the initiative to call the Director of Football Operations and inquire about any open positions. Three months later, she received a call asking her to join the football team and within two days, she moved to campus to begin her journey at the University of Connecticut.

Montalvo entered UConn with enough transferable credits from high school which made her eligible to apply to the Sport Management Program a year early and this past month, she graduated the Sport Management Program with a Bachelor’s in Science, just three short years. The Sport Management Program recognized Montalvo’s dedication to her academics and professional growth early on.  Dr. Laura Burton recalled,

“It was clear that she was committed to being both a contributing and engaged member of our Sport Management Program and to stay involved in all of her leadership positions across UConn. I remember thinking, “Tatianna is exactly the type of student we hope to have as part of the Sport Management Program.” She has lived up to and really exceed those expectations.”

Her on campus involvement extended beyond her passion for sports. She was an active member of the Puerto Rican/Latin American Cultural Center she served as President of B.A.I.L.E. (Bringing Awareness Into Latino Ethnicity) and a peer-mentor for M.E.T.A.S. (Mentoring, Educating, and Training for Academic Success). She’s contributed to the Department of Educational Leadership’s Higher Education of Student Affairs (HESA) Program as their Event Coordinator for their annual interview day selection process.

Through the lens of sport, she made the most of her experience at UConn. She’s coordinated a ‘Women in Sports Panel, served as a TME (The Major Experience) Mentor, and was involved with the Sport Business Association and Husky Sport program - all of which make her a well-rounded young professional in the field. One of her fondest memories was when she helped coordinate the ‘Women in Sports Panel’ with Dr. Burton. Montalvo said, “We were able to talk about our experiences and tell students that there is a place for women in this industry, because it could be intimidating when you try and enter a field where you know that there is a whole bunch of men just doubting your experiences and what you know. Representation is so important.”

Montalvo is a highly celebrated student who was recently awarded the Outstanding Senior Women Academic Achievement Award for the Neag School of Education through the Women’s Center. Each year, this award is given to a student who has excelled academically and has demonstrated high achievement in both service and research. She embodies these qualities through her leadership and involvement on campus as well as her research focus for her minor degree in Latino/a Caribbean and Latin American Studies. Through her research, she is investigating the effects of the lack of representation of students of color who are interested in sport and how that influences career choices. Montalvo’s strong academic skills have teamed up with her experience as a leader both in and outside of the classroom, making her accelerated experience at UConn a success.

Husky Sport

In her first year in the program, she took a Sport-Based Youth Development course which pairs student-volunteers from the Husky Sport Program with youth in Hartford.  The relationships engage at in-school and after-school programs to reinforce and introduce a variety of physical activities, healthy nutrition, and academic excellence. The course requires each student to complete 40 hours of service in Hartford, a number she quickly surpassed which left her hungry for more.  “I loved it, so even when those 40 hours were done I kept going back to Hartford because the kids were great! I asked [Dr. Evanovich], how can I still be involved?”

Not only did she stayed involved, the program hired her on staff and was appointed Club President, which allowed her to take on an even greater role, fundraising. This opportunity allowed for Montalvo to spearhead the Ignite crowd-fundraising competition, on behalf of Husky Sport and the Leadership in Diversity student groups.  She was able to apply what she learned in class to a real life experience. Her ideas and strategies led the joint team to win the top prize in the competition, yielding over 308 donations from current students and young alumni which generated more than $11,600.

Dr. Justin Evanovich, Husky Sport’s Managing Director worked closely with Montalvo throughout the Ignite campaign and he stated, “Tatianna brought high levels of enthusiasm and competitive spirit that were contagious amongst her student peers. She was a strong and collaborative leader that drove big parts of our success throughout the campaign.”

The Next Chapter

Next month, Montalvo will further her sport experiences through F.L.A.M.E. (Finding Leaders Among Minorities Everywhere). The program works with U.S. Olympic and Paralympic athletes as well as the National Governing Body to empower and foster connections for people of color to pursue careers in the sports industry.

“I like how it is geared towards minority students. I like how they are emphasizing that they are trying to make leaders out of us; it’s an opportunity for us to grow. Especially in sports, since we [minorities] are so underrepresented,” said Montalvo.

Throughout the eight day program, she will tour Olympic facilities, meet athletes and other professionals, and attend numerous workshops discussing issues of diversity in the field. F.L.A.M.E. participants must work in groups and propose ideas to solve issues of diversity in the sport industry. She stated, “I hope to learn from the whole experience. The group project definitely sounds interesting. It’s something that will cause me to problem solve and use my mind. A challenge is always good!”

Montalvo credits Dr. Laura Burton for encouraging her to apply to F.L.A.M.E., “Dr. Burton has been an important person in this whole process. Every opportunity that I bring up she encourages me and wants to help me out, in any way.” Montalvo continues to credit all of the professors in the program and notes how intentional they are when working with students,

“They emphasize relationship building and how it’s important to network. They have been so supportive; they’re a good support system.”

So as Montalvo graduates and prepares for her next chapter in life, we asked how her experiences with at UConn helped her, she explained, “The program has definitely shaped me in a way that I think that I will be able to handle going to a new environment, meet new people, and put out the best project.”

The Sport Management Program is proud of Tatianna and wish her the best of luck!