EDLR’s Dr. Laura Burton co-authors original commentary on women in sport by The Conversation
SPM
Courses and Curriculum: EDLR 3345
UConn’s Department of Educational Leadership (EDLR) offers a rich and diverse curriculum that prepares both undergraduate and graduate students to be educational leaders in our ever-changing world. The “Courses and Curriculum” series highlights innovative courses within EDLR’s catalog that are changing the education game for the better.
In EDLR 3345: Financial Management in the Sport Industry, taught by Professor Laura Burton, Ph.D., is an undergraduate course which provides Sport Management majors with an understanding of the financial principles relevant to the sport industry. The course examines basic financial concepts and issues related to sport, and offers an overview of ownership, taxation, financial analysis, feasibility and economic impact studies within the sport industry.
Burton identified a need for this content and added the course to the curriculum, five years ago. While Burton’s research is centered around leadership in sport organizations and gender issues in sport, EDLR 3345 pushed her outside of her traditional area of expertise, offering a great opportunity and challenge. Having an applied math-based course helps to answer real-world questions within the sport industry, one that the students are benefiting from.
As sport organizations attempt to create a more inclusive space, in regards to social and gender identity, people in higher level positions are faced with some important questions. In what ways can professional sport organizations maximize revenue? And who benefits? What communities are disadvantaged? Burton explains how not only do students consider the financial impact of budget cuts within the sport industry, for example, but the social impact as well. Such a fundamental course provides students with the tools to build on their understanding of budgets and further develop these ideas in other related and unrelated fields.
By using practical applications and case studies, Burton is able to create real-life scenarios depicting real-life budgeting dilemmas. In one such budgeting case, Burton presents a $40,000 budget cut and challenges her students to make the cut in the most effective manner. The experiment suggests that such a cut would leave athletes without scholarships, slash salaries, and limit job availability.
One of the biggest challenges Burton says especially with a course that is math-related is helping students get over the “math-hating mentality.” Burton admits that there was a lot that she had to learn and continues to learn alongside her students. Within education, it’s easy to experience feelings of frustration and anxiety when learning something new, but she continues to push herself and her students and says,
“Sometimes we forget what it feels like to be the student and sit in the seat.”
Joseph Cooper Releases New Book: From Exploitation Back to Empowerment
The Neag School of Education covers Sport Management’s Dr. Joseph Cooper, who recently released a new book, From Exploitation Back to Empowerment: Black Male Holistic (Under)Development Through Sport and (Mis)Education which was inspired by his research on the intersection between sport, education, race, and culture and the impact of sport involvement on the holistic development of Black male athletes. Read the full story here.
Leading While Black, the Experience of Black Female Principals
UConn Today covers two EDLR faculty researchers, Dr. Jennie Weiner and Sport Management’s Dr. Laura Burton will be investigating 25 black, female principals and how microaggressions and discrimination affect their experiences.
This research is funded by a Spencer Foundation Grant.
Dr. Joseph Cooper’s Book Launch, February 2019
Dr. Joseph Cooper launched his new book, From Exploitation Back to Empowerment: Black Male Holistic (Under)Development Through Sport and (Mis)Education on February 18, 2019.
View the full photo album.
UConn’s Jamelle Elliott happy to be back home
CT Post highlight’s Sport Management alumna, Jamelle Elliott in her return to UConn as the Associate Athletic Director for the National C Club; a return that makes her feel ‘at home’.
Sports mentoring program is training women leaders from around the world
Dr. Laura Burton and the UConn Sport Management Program are mentioned for their work with the Global Sports Mentoring Program which aims to empower female leaders in sport, NCAA Champion Magazine
Interning with Asia League Basketball
Having the opportunity to work internationally is not unheard of when pursuing a degree in sport and this summer, three Sport Management students gained experience working abroad with Asia League, a start-up basketball company tasked with organizing some of Asia’s elite basketball clubs.
Undergraduates Dike Wei and Ivy Kim, along with graduate student Enbo Liu, each having roots in various parts of China, (Dike with Guangdong, Ivy with Taiwan, and Enbo with Xi’an) share their experiences as they branched out from their lifestyle in Connecticut to gain professional experience with sport in China.
Despite interning for the same organization, Wei and Liu worked in Hangzhou while Kim worked at the league’s headquarters in Hong Kong. Although each of them recognized a strong and unique culture within Asia League, many of their tasks and responsibilities differed from their previous experiences working in sport.
Kim, who has worked with UConn's Women's Basketball for three years noted,
“I remember our first game venue visit, which was only a month away from the tournament. I was surprised by the limited resources we were given and how much we had to do, to literally setup and brand the venue for the tournament, from scratch.”
Throughout the summer, the students worked with the event, facility and basketball operations side of the league with tasks that included setting up, facilitating, and managing events. They also assisted in the production of the Summer Super 8 event in Macau, China. Macau, also known as the ‘Las Vegas of the East’ for its hub of gambling and entertainment, brought Wei, Kim, and Liu together for what they considered their favorite and most beneficial week of their internship.
Not only was the Summer Super 8 event a memorable experience for them, seeing the organizational culture within each of their work spaces contributed to their deeper understanding of how the event came to fruition. The organization was founded by American native, Matt Beyer, who was a former sports agent from Wisconsin. His influence and knowledge in the Chinese socioeconomic environment led to the creation of Asia League’s inaugural season last year. Beyer combines American and Chinese cultures which contributes to the league’s success and development. Wei describes this experience as “a feeling like we were building the culture ourselves” with mention to a ‘laid back’ environment that allowed the interns to feel like they had a big impact on the organization.
Their experiences were not limited to the workplace, rather intrinsically allowed them to travel to various places abroad. Macau was a great point of discussion as it featured an unforgettable opportunity to hang out with some of China’s premiere basketball players. For Kim, this experience was the perfect way to get closer to her coworkers and fellow interns, stating,
“Our time in Macau really brought everyone together, despite the long hours, everyone’s dedication inspired us to reach the daily goal, together.”
- Ivy Kim
For Wei and Liu, one of their favorite places in Hangzhou was West Lake, an area known for its rich history and unique relics. It is here that Liu was drawn to the Chinese garden landscape that reminded him of the famous French painter, Monet, expressing, “If Monet had lived in the West Lake for a month, I believe he could have created [even] more extraordinary masterpieces.” Indulging in West Lake’s art and historical culture is just another example of the benefits to obtaining an internship abroad. UConn’s Sport Management program encourages students to maximize their internship experiences both professionally and culturally.
Sport is powerful and allows for people with varying differences to unite over a common interest. This summer, our interns used their athletic interests to drive past some language barriers within the league. Kim admitted that her unfamiliarity with Cantanese served as an obstacle when communicating with clients, suppliers, and even some of China’s professional basketball players, but she was still able to adapt and work through this challenge. Various languages were utilized throughout the organization, but English was the main method of communication due to its heavy influence by the NBA Summer League. Despite the league’s language barriers, basketball serves as the universal language and is what drives their goals of increasing its marketing presence in Asia.
When you combine a sport management background, the ability to speak more than one language, and exuding confidence built off experiences like this, Sport Management students are bound for success. Asia League is only one example of where sport can lead you but this year our students returned with immense growth, both personally and professionally.
Asia League is currently looking for summer 2019 interns. Please review this internship description if you're interested in applying.
SPM Alumna Caroline Doty Inducted into Athletic Hall of Fame
Congratulations to Germantown Academy graduate and Sport Management alumna, Caroline Doty, who was inducted into the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame on November 8, 2018.
Sport Management’s 5th Annual Career Night in Sport
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.