Tell us about yourself and what led you to Manchester University?
I’m originally from Los Angeles. I got my degree at the University of Louisville and where I also was teaching. My class size was 100+ students. I didn’t know anyone’s name or any of my students. I really didn’t like that. I was looking for a small liberal arts college and that’s what led me to Manchester University. My advisor at the time, who is from Indiana, had a lot of nice things to say about the University.
Why do you teach at Manchester University?
I never thought I would be a teacher. I was always such a businessperson. I was in the golf industry for seven years. When I was at Barry University in Miami, Fla., I earned my master’s and began student teaching there. I knew a lot of sport management majors at Barry who were lost and curious on how to get into the sports industry. I found myself advising them while student teaching, and I found that very rewarding. Teaching has its own rewards. You can watch a student start as a first-year, graduate, get their career and develop. The things you teach will have impact on people's lives. To me, that was why I wanted to become a teacher, and Manchester embraces that even further. Our mission and my teaching goals came together very well.
How does the Gilbert College of Business stand out from other business schools in Indiana?
The one-on-one relationship with student and professor is very important. When I was teaching at Louisville, I didn’t have time to check every student’s assignment. My teacher assistants would do the grading for me, and I would never see the kind of work my students were producing. Here at Manchester, when I have 20 students, I read everything they write. I can give them prompt feedback. When it comes to the Gilbert College of Business in itself, all of the faculty members here have industry experience. No professor is here just for teaching. They bring their industry knowledge to the classrooms. It’s so beneficial to share this real-world knowledge with our students. We can prep students just for that.
Students get hands-on experiences in their courses. In my event management course, students work in groups to create and host an event. If something goes wrong or no one attends their event, they can learn from their failures. Manchester is a safe place to do that.
What career opportunities are available for someone with a degree in sport management?
They’re divided into three areas: one is professional; the others are university and high school levels. We have graduates who work with professional teams like the Colts, Pacers, Fort Wayne Komets and Mad Ants. At the university level, we have people at schools like Bowling Green University. We also have a lot of coaches and athletic directors at the high school level. These three areas can range in different departments from sales to marketing, or facility to event managing.
Do you have any advice for current and prospective students in sport management?
The current students are required to complete an internship, but doing multiple internships is something I highly recommend. My career landed on my feet by doing an internship. I am a high believer that if you do well at an internship and develop that network, it could lead to something great.
For prospective students and early career sports managers, I would highly recommend job shadowing someone who has their career interest. I encourage that because you may find that something you once were interested in is not something you want to do anymore. College is where you find your true passion. Manchester allows you to find out who you are. We’re here to match your passion with a career you want to get one day.