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Associate Manager, Experiential Marketing
ESPN

Past sport industry experiences
– Fairfield County Sports Commission, Intern
– Special Events Intern, Marcia Selden Catering & Event Planning
– Media and Google Analytics Independent Study, �������޹�����Ʒ
– Community Events Board Director, Sport Management Society, �������޹�����Ʒ
– Media Planning & Strategy Intern, ESPN
– Event Marketing Coordinator, ESPN

How did the Department of Sport Management prepare you for your career?
Elon’s Department of Sport Management fostered a strong sense of community, mentorship, and – most importantly – a passion for sports. Over my four years, each class, project and experiential opportunity allowed me to explore and gain insight into the many different facets of the industry. The department also provided a strong network of support with both classmates and professors, which created an environment where we guided, encouraged and motivated one another on both a personal and professional level.

Client Services Coordinator
Baltimore Ravens

Past sport industry experiences

– Client Services Internship, Baltimore Ravens
– Marketing, Fan Development & Activation Internship, Baltimore Ravens

What meant the most to you about your Elon Sport Management experience?
When I think back to my experience at Elon, I think about my professors. I wouldn’t be where I am without them encouraging me to believe in myself — like they believed in me. Being able to tell my professors now that I’m living my dream — knowing I am making them proud — is an accomplishment, and I owe it to them. Elon’s Sport Management program is one of a kind, and I will forever cherish my four years there. Long Building became a home. The friends I created through the program are some of my best friends, and the professors are still my mentors to this day.

Head of Commercial Pre-Sales
Kambi

Past sport industry experiences
At Elon:
– Stadium Operations Intern, Greensboro Grasshoppers
– Intern, Sports Impact Limited, a marketing and PR firm with a variety of golf and tennis brands in the UK
– Marketing Intern, Octagon, a leading sports marketing agency
– Elon Athletics Facility and Events Administration

Post-Grad
– Competitive Intelligence Analyst, Kambi
– Pre-Sales Consultant, Kambi

How did the Department of Sport Management prepare you for your career?
One of the most valuable elements of the major is how connected all the classes are to current trends and industry news. When I started with the major, sports betting was several years away from legislation and I couldn’t have imagined working in this sector of the sports industry. The continuous exposure to industry developments and market trends we would dissect in the classroom is a huge reason for my career path now.

Experiential Manager (Golf)
Octagon

Past sport industry experiences
At Elon:
– Summer Intern, SMT (SportsMEDIA Technology)
– Client Services Intern, SMT (SportsMEDIA Technology)

Post-Grad
– Event Trainee (Golf), Octagon
– Account Trainee (Golf), Octagon
– Event Executive (Brand Campaigns), Octagon
– Senior Event Executive (Golf), Octagon

What meant the most to you about your Sport Management experience at �������޹�����Ʒ?
The amount of time and care that our professors put into our professional development. When I decided to switch to the Sport Management major, the department’s professors took the time to personally guide me and walk me through a plan to make this possible. Every Sport Management professor I had taught with passion and used their connections to provide us with real-world experiences, from working the ACC Women’s Basketball Tournament to planning our own campus events as a class. Each experience set me up for success in my role today, and created a fun atmosphere for learning at Elon.

Senior Manager, Live Experience
New Jersey Devils & Prudential Center (HBSE)

Past sport industry experiences
– T3 Lacrosse, Marketing & Business Ops Intern
– Gameday Tailgate Experience, Marketing & Sales Intern
– IMG College Elon, Game Day Assistant
– ACC Women’s Basketball Tournament, Lead Volunteer
– New Jersey Devils & Prudential Center, Marketing Experiences Associate
– New Jersey Devils & Prudential Center, Coordinator, Live Experience + Production

How did the Department of Sport Management prepare you for your career?
The Department of Sport Management is such a special, close group of people who all share the same passion for sports. I learned so many valuable lessons from everyone in the department – not just my professors, but all my classmates as well. Each class was different and helped open my eyes to all the potential paths there are to make an impact in this industry. The internships, experiences and volunteer opportunities offered throughout my four years at Elon were the reason I figured out what I wanted to do and, ultimately, the reason I am where I am today. It’s awesome to see this department grow and it’s fun to watch fellow Elon students crush it in the sport industry. Lastly, it’s wonderful to still have a relationship with so many of my professors even years out of school. You can never stop learning no matter how many years of experience you have, and I’m grateful for the network I’ve made in this department.

Assistant Coach
Charleston Southern Baseball

Past sport industry experiences
Pawtucket Red Sox, Boston Bruins, USA Baseball, Inside Edge, Elon Baseball student data analyst, Elon baseball analytics club

How did the Department of Sport Management prepare you for your career?
Elon gave me the opportunity to immerse myself in meaningful experiences right away. This was key in me attaining my goal of getting an internship following my first year. The three significant experiences I got involved with right away were the intro course first semester, going to the Dominican Republic during Winter Term, and getting involved in the baseball analytics club. Nothing beats industry experience in our field with how much emphasis is put on networking. Having four different relevant internship experiences on my resume by the time I graduated gave me a major advantage, and I was able to find a job where I could learn and grow long term.

Manager, Minor League Operations & Player Education
Washington Nationals

Past sport industry experiences
– Summer 2016 Cultural Development Intern with the Kansas City Royals in the Dominican Republic
– Summer 2017 Minor League Operations/Cultural Development Intern with the Royals’ then rookie affiliate Idaho Falls Chukars
– Summer 2018 Intern in Baseball Development at Major League Baseball in New York
– Published research on Major League Baseball teams’ education efforts at their Dominican Republic Academies
– Volunteer Student Manager with Elon Baseball
– 2019 Player Development Intern with the Washington Nationals

How did the Department of Sport Management prepare you for your career?
The mentorship of the sport management faculty has meant the world to me. It began the first day I set foot on Elon’s campus, on a tour, still deciding which university I wanted to attend. I learned I could study the baseball industry in the Dominican Republic during Winter Term my freshman year. Because of the mentorship and support of those within the department, I went from being a young freshman with little direction to near-perfectly positioned for the job I wanted. The faculty has had a profound impact on my growth and are still present in my life today.

Manager, Sport Workforce & Planning
LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games

Past sport industry experiences

Populous
• Associate – Senior Event Coordinator (Nov 2023 – Present)
• Senior Event Coordinator (Oct 2023 – Present)

ARI Athletics
• Senior Sales Executive (Sep 2020 – Nov 2023)
• Account Representative (Feb 2020 – Sep 2020)

Colorado Rockies
• Account Manager – Outbound Sales (Sep 2019 – Aug 2020)
• Account Manager – Inside Sales (Sep 2018 – Aug 2019)

Carolina Panthers
• Football Operations Intern (Jun 2017 – Aug 2017)

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• Game Day Promotions Intern (2016 – 2018)

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• Football Operations Intern (Sep 2014 – May 2017)
• Teacher Assistant, Life Entrepreneurship (Jan 2016 – Dec 2016)

What meant the most to you about your Elon Sport Management experience?
Elon’s Sport Management program was all about real-world experience. Even inside the classroom, the focus was always centered on two questions: “How does this apply?” and “How do we get you there?”

The faculty constantly reinforced the importance of networking, going the extra mile, and setting yourself apart, and they practiced what they preached every single day. Walking into class felt personal. With small class sizes, you built genuine, lasting relationships with both your peers and professors.

Case in point: Sam Mahon ’19 (now a senior manager with the New Jersey Devils) and I once skipped an 8 a.m. Friday class. The following week, our professor joked, “If either of you skips again, I’m docking both of your grades.” While completely a joke, it turned us into each other’s accountability partners for the rest of the semester. Always sparking a laugh if either of us was ever running a few minutes late. The faculty knew every single one of us by name, held us to a standard of excellence, and created an environment where you genuinely wanted to show up.

Whether we were running portfolio simulations with mock investments in the sport industry, spending an entire semester planning and executing a live 5K race, or learning directly from visiting sports executives, the department prepared us for what it takes to work in sports.

The Department of Sport Management gave me the confidence to build a career in this industry.

Visual Merchandising Specialist
Lululemon

Past sport industry experiences
I worked as an assistant merchandising manager for apparel (run/train) at PUMA Group. Additionally, I completed internships with Team Impact and the National Senior Games Association, and competed as a Division 1 track and field athlete at �������޹�����Ʒ.

How did the Department of Sport Management prepare you for your career?
The program gave me hands-on, experience-based learning that enabled me to adjust seamlessly into real-world settings post graduation. The curriculum helped foster connections with each professor which had significant impact both in the classroom and beyond. They provided me with an opportunity to engage in experiences such as undergraduate research and internships to help broaden my knowledge in the industry.