Have you always wanted to work for the Steelers, Penguins or another sports team?
Students hoping to find a career in the field of sports management will have an opportunity to do so beginning in Fall 2018.
The McKenna school will offer a new track for management majors, which will allow students to specialize in the industry. The school currently offers a business management major, as well as a Sports Marketing course taught by Dr. Thomas Cline, professor of marketing.
Dr. Gary Quinlivan, dean of the McKenna School, said the new track was requested by students and members of the administration, such as admission staff and coaches.
The new track will follow many of the same course requirements as the current management major, but will also include Sports Marketing, Sports Administration and Sports Law.
Sports Administration is taught by Sue Hozak, Associate Athletic Director and Head Coach of the Bearcat volleyball team.
Sports Law will be offered starting the Fall 2018 semester. Quinlivan said that the Sports Law course will be taught by Saint Vincent alumnus Dr. Dan Kunz, a practicing sports lawyer and law professor at Duquesne University.
Students will also be encouraged to complete Franchising, taught by Father Bonaventure.
Quinlivan explained that he believes the new track will appeal to many students, as they will be prepared for entrance into top graduate and MBA programs, as well as law careers.
“Sports management graduates will benefit in that they will be trained for a broad spectrum of management careers, but also have advanced training applicable to sports careers,” Quinlivan said.
Lauren Gamrat, junior marketing, said she believes the program will be helpful for students like her who are interested in the sports management field.
“[The program] would give [students] an advantage over those who are solely management or marketing majors,” Gamrat said.
Gamrat believes that employers will be more partial to students in the sports management track because they will have more specific knowledge in the sports industry.
Samantha Sluger, senior communication major and marketing minor, has experience interning in the sports industry.
“This new program would give students a chance to hone in on sports management or marketing skills in an extremely complex industry,” Sluger said.
Sluger said she picked up her marketing minor because she knew that the Sports Marketing course was offered.
She interned with the public relations department for the Washington Redskins organization last summer.
Sluger said that the internship experience was useful to bring to the classroom.
“I think I brought up something about the Redskins during every Sports Marketing lecture,” Sluger said.
Sluger said that the regular business and communication classes have been helpful but the sports marketing track provides more specificity.
“Focused classes will give those who are passionate about sports a better advantage and more exposure to what they can expect in the industry,” Sluger said.
Photos: Sluger