Sports management students go to Europe
Sports management students will take a trip to Europe this May, where they will visit the Netherlands, Germany and Switzerland.
Students taking the trip will have the opportunity to visit the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) and International Olympic Committee (IOC) offices, as well as Hague University, a German university known for its sports programs, and other international sports attractions.
According to sports management professor Christopher Amos, the Sports Management Department has been sending students all over the U.S., and even around the globe, in order to give them an accurate idea of the different jobs available in the sports world.
The department arranges trips each fall and spring to a variety of sports events and conferences where students have the opportunity to network and get internships and jobs opportunities.
Under this program, students have the opportunity to work with NASCAR, visit with the Washington Redskins, Baltimore Orioles and the NFL Players Association as well as attend different sports conferences.
According to Amos, the purpose behind these trips is to get students away from the classroom and out into the real world.
“It is connecting theory to practice,” Amos said. “I could sit here and I can teach out of the book, but it is another thing when you get to experience it. … That is one of the reasons we stress in the department this emphasis on experiential learning, them getting out in the field.”
Austin Lawrence, a sophomore studying sports management, took part in the February trip to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Sloan Sports Analytics Conference.
The goal of this conference was to study and further the use of statistical analysis in sports, according to Amos. It gave students an opportunity to network with individuals from many different sports teams and media organizations.
“I met with (representatives) from the Dallas Cowboys, Atlanta Falcons, Chicago Bears and the Philadelphia Eagles,” Lawrence said.
According to Lawrence, students were also able to attend a variety of panel discussions in order to learn more about the sports management profession.
“I made new connections on this trip, which are leading to new opportunities after I am done here at Liberty,” Lawrence said.
Junior sports management major Samantha Shivock took part in last fall’s trip to D.C., which included visits to the Washington Redskins and the NFL Players Association offices.
“I had the honor of meeting an incredible accumulation of people from all different areas in the sport world where I not only gained knowledge according to their specific jobs, but also received exceptional advice from them for my career path,” Shivock said.
Amos hopes that students will use the trips to their advantage in their search for a career.
“Having these networking opportunities leads to potential internships and jobs,” Amos said.
In the future, Amos hopes to increase the number of opportunities available for sports management majors to get real-world experience.