Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Meet The Class 2011 - Christina


One of the unique attributes of the DeVos Sport Business Management Program is the network of students who make up our program. Our class will take every course together during our tenure here at UCF and we will work on countless group projects and collaborative efforts. As a result of our shared interests in the business of sport, a natural team camaraderie is formed. However, our team is composed of people from diverse backgrounds, experiences and ambitions. We offer profiles of class members to give you an idea as to the type of people who make up our program, individuals who collectively will be leaders in sport and society and will be teammates for life.


Name: Christina Li Russell

Hometown: St. Clair Shores, MI

Undergraduate School & Major: Central Michigan University – Sport Studies FIRE UP CHIPS!!!

Past Sports Industry Experiences: I worked for the Central Michigan Men’s Basketball Program as a Student Manager. I have also coached a High School freshmen Volleyball team.

Current G.A. or Sports Industry Related Internship/Job: I currently work for The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport.

Reasons for Choosing the DeVos Program: I chose to only apply to the DeVos Sport Business Management Program because I
believe in the core values and goals that this program has to offer. Upholding ethical standards and using sport to improve society are values that I will focus on throughout my time in the program and in my career.

Future Career Ambitions (1 to 2 sentences): Currently I would like to work for a Professional Team on the community relations side of business. But the DeVos program opens your eyes to many careers I did not know was possible so I am open to other options.

If you could play a round of golf with any three sports figures (dead or alive, on the field or off) who would you choose and why?:

1. Arthur Ashe: aside from his pure athletic skill on the court, he was a force for political and social change in sport.
2. Muhammad Ali: greatest heavyweight boxing champ ever, who is in my opinion, unparalleled both in and out of the ring.
3. Billie Jean King: Phenomenal tennis player but most importantly an advocate for the women’s movement in sport against sexism.

Saturday, September 26, 2009

Popular < Right

“Yeah I did, I don’t know man. UCF just seems like they’re trying to be different. I would probably stay in Florida if they [UCF] were like everyone else [other Sport Business Management graduate programs], but they just spend so much time trying to be different.”


Last fall, I sent out applications and resumes to a number of graduate programs with the hope of getting into a Sport Management MBA program. I will be honest and say that a year ago, I was not entirely sure of which program was the right fit for me, but I had narrowed down my list and I sent out my applications and allowed myself to become a part of that process.

Throughout February and March, I traveled all over, interviewing at different programs, and it was while on one of these trips that I met a kid from Florida. We were talking about where we had interviewed and when I asked him if he had interviewed at UCF, the aforementioned quote at the beginning of this post was his reply.

At the time, I was about 90% sure that I would choose UCF if they accepted me but I was not 100% sure – this person’s comments brought me the other 10%. You see, he had said his comments negatively but in his criticism there was a very profound shred of truth – UCF was different and that’s why I had to go there.

I remember when I was in 2nd grade there was this poster on the wall that said, “What is right isn’t always popular and what is popular isn’t always right”. In our conversation I realized that when this guy had said, “different” he was referring to the fact that DeVos had such a focus on diversity and ethics in sport. The more that I heard him criticize the program, the more I realized that these very ideals are the reason that I wanted to work in the sports industry – because I want to stand up for what is right and foster diversity in all aspects of life; especially sports. I feel that I have such an appreciation for diversity because it is not something that I have always been able to enjoy.

I come from a small town of 1000 people in Missouri. The population is predominantly (over 95%) white by race, Christian by religion, and middle class by economic standing. It was not until I was a freshman in college that I began to understand that there are so many people in this world that are different from me. Initially, when I first went to my undergrad I found myself shocked by the array of people that do exist and the number of ways in which we’re all different – age, race, sex, gender, religion, nationality, economic standing, and sexual orientation. However, I found that as time passed, I moved from a state of being shocked by other peoples’ differences to being tolerant of those differences to actually appreciating the ways in which we are all different.

And in a nutshell that is what I believe diversity is – the celebration of peoples’ differences. It is a chance for us to reflect on the richness of the human tapestry and be thankful for the many ways that we were made different. And while we have come a long way in terms of diversity in sport, there is still much ground to be covered. The directors of the DeVos Program (Dr. Richard Lapchick, Dr. Bill Sutton, and Dr. Keith Harrison) have made this their life’s work – to promote diversity and ethics in sport. As students, we have the opportunity to learn and work alongside them as we learn how we can positively impact the future of the sports industry. By having the privilege of being employed by the The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport (TIDES) I personally, have been able to contribute to the research behind the Race and Gender Report Cards (RGRC) that are issued for every collegiate and professional sport in this country every year. Several of my classmates and those who came before us, have contributed to report cards such as this and published books and articles about the issues of diversity in sport. Nowhere else would you have these opportunities or find this education.

While we spend a lot of time exploring diversity issues (through our classes, guest speakers, and trips) it is clear that this program does not only promote this virtue – but that we live it out as well. When I look at my class, I see an amalgam of everything that humanity has to offer. Our class has people of all genders and all races. We have people that have business and sports business backgrounds and we have math minors and political science majors. We have people that worked for years in the sports industry and we have people that have not ever completed any kind of sports internship. We have people from Kentucky, Florida, Nebraska, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Texas, Missouri, Michigan, New York, Massachusetts, New Zealand, Taiwan, and the Cherokee Indian Reservation (just to name a few). We have people from large cities, like Chicago and Boston, and universities and from small towns, like my own, and smaller schools. We have people of all racial, religious, educational, and financial backgrounds who are working together to not only get an MBA in Sport Management, but to figure out how to use that MBA to encourage business ethics and promote diversity in the field of sport.

What my acquaintance from Florida referred to as different, I call the right thing. I will even go a step further and call it the necessary thing. I find it hard to believe that any business education, sport or otherwise, can be complete if people do not recognize the role of diversity and ethics. There have been significant steps in sport - such as those taken by people like Jackie Robinson and Jim Thorpe and what we have been able to accomplish with Title IX - but there is still much work to be done.

There has to come a day where in one of humanity’s oldest traditions, competitive sport, we can use the array of differences that humanity has to offer as a point that brings us together, not one that drives us apart. There is just one race – human. The DeVos program recognizes this fact. Does that make us different? Perhaps. Is being different a bad thing though? Has anyone ever become the best by conforming to everyone else? Not at all.

When I talk about these things, I can’t help but remember that poster on the wall of my second grade class room:

“What is right isn’t always popular and what is popular isn’t always right.”

Be the change,

Devan

Sunday, September 20, 2009

What it means to have a living classroom

"You have a responsibility as leaders ... you have to have integrity. I wasn't willing to compromise myself to keep a job - I hope that's not you."
~ Anucha Browne Sanders


These are words that I am not likely to ever forget. Leadership has been defined on so many occasions and by so many people that it almost seems like a fluid concept. But as Anucha Browne Sanders spoke these words to the students of the DeVos class this past Friday, I realized that this was not some mere definition but that these words came from a woman whose story is the very definition of what it means to be a leader; to overcome odds; and to be the kind of moral beacon that the sports industry so desperately needs.

Anucha Browe is currently the Senior Athletic Director of Marketing for the University of Buffalo but is most famous for the sexual harassment lawsuit that she filed against Isaiah Thomas and Madison Square Garden back in 2006 after she was fired from the New York Knicks. She spoke to us about her unlikely career path, the importance of building a network, how to take advantage of opportunities, and the importance of ethics in the workplace.

As she spoke I understood how rare someone like Anucha Browne Sanders really is. The path that she has taken, the barriers that she overcame to become one of the senior most members of an NBA franchise being an African-American woman, and the moral fiber that she showed in standing up for herself and women in the workplace everywhere with the lawsuit that she brought against Isaiah Thomas and Madison Square Garden, are really nothing short of inspiring.

As I listened to her speak, I learned the importance of professionalism, corporate responsibility, integrity, and how far mutual respect can take you. And as I listened to her I realized how fortunate I am to be in a program like DeVos that presents a living classroom experience that allows us to have a speaker come in almost every Friday to teach us valuable life and professional lessons and then allow us to personally interact with those speakers. This week it was an opportunity to listen to and meet Anucha Browne Sanders and hear her story and next week it will be Otis Smith – the general manager of the Orlando Magic.

This is really what defines this program – not just an opportunity to grow academically, but the opportunity to grow together that will not only allow us to experience career success but to be better people, to be the moral face of whatever workplace we enter, and to always, always, always stand up for what is right. Nowhere else would I learn these lessons, nowhere else would I have this experience, and because of that there is nowhere else that I would rather be than a student in the DeVos Program here at UCF.

Have a great week!
Devan

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Meet the Class 2011 - Lavera


One of the unique attributes of the DeVos Sport Business Management Program is the network of students who make up our program. Our class will take every course together during our tenure here at UCF and we will work on countless group projects and collaborative efforts. As a result of our shared interests in the business of sport, a natural team camaraderie is formed. However, our team is composed of people from diverse backgrounds, experiences and ambitions. We offer profiles of class members to give you an idea as to the type of people who make up our program, individuals who collectively will be leaders in sport and society and will be teammates for life.

Name: Lavera Morris

Hometown: Orlando, FL

Undergraduate School & Major: University of Kentucky-Kinesiology

Past Sports Industry Experiences: none

Current G.A. or Sports Industry Related Internship/Job: TIDES

Reasons for Choosing the DeVos Program: The dual degrees, and the opportunities and activities that are provided in the program.

Future Career Ambitions (1 to 2 sentences): After graduation my short term plan is to become an A.D. at a small college. My long term plan is to open a fitness facility in an effort to decrease the obesity rates.

If you could play a round of golf with any three sports figures (dead or alive, on the field or off) who would you choose and why? I would chose Florence Griffith Joyner (Flo-Jo) because she was a great American sprinter and one of my inspirations when I first started running. Steve Prefontaine also because he was a great American runner and he is someone who is a very important figure to distance runners. Lastly I would chose Billie Jean King because I feel as if she had a instrumental part in why I am able to be a confident female athlete.

Sunday, September 13, 2009

More than a program - We're a family

“Huh? Sport business management? What’s that? What can you do with that?”

Since the fall of 2007 (when I first decided I wanted to pursue my Sport Business Management MBA) that has always been the response I have gotten when I tried to explain to friends and family “what I wanted to be when I grew up”. After two years of fielding that question while doing everything necessary to make that goal a reality – it is almost a surreal feeling that I am about to start my fourth week of classes in the DeVos Program.

These first four weeks have been a bit of a blur with so much going on and so many opportunities presenting themselves – at times it’s hard for me to sort out everything that I have already gotten to experience in just a short month. I only bring this up because I know that if time is flying for me, chances are it’s flying for you as well.

For many of you, you’re in the homestretch – you are studying up to take your GMAT, getting your resume together, and racking your brains about this admission essay; meanwhile you are trying to take advantage of every academic and professional opportunity that presents itself because you have been doing for some time exactly what I had to do.

You’re answering that question – you are trying to explain to people your passion and why you want to get into this program so badly. For some of you, you can straight up tell your parents that you one day want to be the President of the San Diego Chargers, the VP of Marketing for the PGA, the Athletic Director for USC, or the Marketing Director for Nike. Others of you are not sure exactly what you want to do but you know one thing – that you love sports, that you want to work in this industry, and [I hope] that you want to make a positive difference along the way.

In my case, a lot of my friends and family could not understand, and many of them, still do not understand exactly what I am studying or what my goals are – but it’s okay; because they see my passion for it and they support me in pursuing something that I absolutely love. My family does not necessarily like the fact that I am so far away – that I moved from rural Missouri to Orlando, Florida. Yet, they know that not only do I want to work in sports but I want to promote diversity and bring about social change. They understand that if these truly are my goals then the only program for me is the one here at the University of Central Florida.

I have been asked the questions, I am still being asked the questions, and sometimes it is hard to come up with an answer. I have been exactly where you are right now and I am telling you what my best of friends told me throughout this process – stay the course. If you are truly passionate about this program and what this program stands for then this is the place for you and I am excited for you to open this next chapter in your life.

I know what it is like for your friends and family to not understand the degree you are pursuing or why you worked long hours for little to no money in that summer sports internship but I am only four weeks in and I can tell you – it’s totally worth it. The reason that I know that it’s worth it; the reason that I have been able to make this transition; and the reason that I know that you can succeed in this program is because I know that when you choose to come to DeVos, you will be blessed with just as awesome as a class as I have already been.

When you choose DeVos you are not just choosing “another graduate program”, you are choosing something more than that – you are choosing to become a part of this family. I thought that when I first got down here that I was going to be intimidated because I was going to be surrounded by 28 other students in my class, many of whom got higher test scores than I did, or had better grades, or had more sport experience. I was a bit nervous because my undergraduate degrees were not business at all but when I got down here I realized that none of that really mattered – I had been chosen to be a part of the DeVos Class of 2011 and each and every one of us had been chosen for a specific reason.

You would think that the mindset among such a group of people would be one of competition – trying to get the best of the best jobs and opportunities. But the truth is we are one class, one team, and one family – we are all working together because we all have similar goals and the truth is – we need each other to accomplish whatever our individual goals may be.

I have only been around this group for a little over a month and I already know that I can go up to any one of my 28 classmates with a need and they are going to help me out. I know that they support my goals and dreams in the same way that I support theirs and the best part – I have a group of friends who doesn’t ask me, “sport business management? What’s that? What can you do with that?”; because they are along for the same exact ride that I am on.

It is amazing to be part of such a small close-knit group. It is incredible to know that I have that kind of support. And it is incredible to know that our class has three directors who will give us a more complete education about the sports industry than can be found anywhere else. We will learn about the business, marketing, and trends of the sports industry, but unlike other programs, we get the chance to learn about how to foster diversity and the ethics needed to succeed in the sports industry. These are lessons that are just as, if not more important, then the business aspects of the industry – and the only place that will teach you these lessons and give you such a holistic education is the DeVos program here at UCF.

I know that you are reading this blog because you have at least thought that this might be the right program for you. You are reading this because you want to be a part of the DeVos family. You have been working so hard – you did that internship, you are taking your GMAT, you worked hard to get the right grades, and I know at some point you have had to answer that question. You have had to explain to others why you are pursuing this degree and what exactly that degree is.

What is sports business management? Generally speaking, it is the application of business principles and practices to the sports industry. What can you do with it? Almost anything you want. You can have the opportunity to get that job you have always dreamed of having. You can promote diversity in a sports setting. You can bring about positive social change. Why DeVos? Because we’re more than a program, we’re a family. We’re a family that is dedicated to the ethics and diversity of sport. We’re a family that cares just as much about your professional goals as you do. We’re the family and we’re the program that can enable you to be the change. And Florida’s a pretty great place to live as well. :)

I know you’ve been working hard and I know you want to be apart of this program and trust me, your application due date, your interview, and your first week of classes will be here before you know it. Don't quit now - because trust me, everything that you are doing now and going through - it is absolutely worth it.

Keep up the hard work!

Devan

Friday, September 11, 2009

Meet the Class 2011 - David


One of the unique attributes of the DeVos Sport Business Management Program is the network of students who make up our program. Our class will take every course together during our tenure here at UCF and we will work on countless group projects and collaborative efforts. As a result of our shared interests in the business of sport, a natural team camaraderie is formed. However, our team is composed of people from diverse backgrounds, experiences and ambitions. We offer profiles of class members to give you an idea as to the type of people who make up our program, individuals who collectively will be leaders in sport and society and will be teammates for life.

Name: David Benoit

Hometown: Boston, Ma

Undergraduate School & Major: University of Central Florida, Marketing

Past Sports Industry Experiences: UCF Athletics Sales & Service Account Executive. Auburn University Montgomery Assistant Intramurals Director

Current G.A. or Sports Industry Related Internship/Job: Central Florida Sports Commission Ticket Sales/Marketing Intern. The Institute of Diversity &Ethics in Sport Graduate Assistant

Reasons for Choosing the DeVos Program: Its focus on ethics and diversity amongst one of the most dominating industry on the planet. Also, the ability to pursue 2 degrees.

Future Career Ambitions (1 to 2 sentences): I want to work in the front office of an NFL franchise or for the NFL itself.

If you could play a round of golf with any three sports figures (dead or alive, on the field or off) who would you choose and why? Joe Lapchick, Eddie Robinson, Jim Brown

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Meet the Class 2011 - Tarek


One of the unique attributes of the DeVos Sport Business Management Program is the network of students who make up our program. Our class will take every course together during our tenure here at UCF and we will work on countless group projects and collaborative efforts. As a result of our shared interests in the business of sport, a natural team camaraderie is formed. However, our team is composed of people from diverse backgrounds, experiences and ambitions. We offer profiles of class members to give you an idea as to the type of people who make up our program, individuals who collectively will be leaders in sport and society and will be teammates for life.

Name: Tarek Chehab

Hometown: Daytona Beach, Florida

Undergraduate School & Major: Saint Leo University, Accounting

Reasons for Choosing the DeVos Program: I am working on earning my Certification as a public accountant. I would love to work as a CPA for the sport/entertainment industry. My long term aspiration is to become a Chief Financial Officer of a Professional Sports team.

Future Career Ambitions: Where to begin? The stress on ethics and diversity are very important to me. Issues such as social and professional equality for women and minorities are pinnacle. The camaraderie of being in a family-type environment with small class sizes. The importance the DeVos program sets on giving back to the community. Lastly and certainly not least- the “living classroom” vision because, lets face it- there are a lot of things in the real world that cannot be taught in class.

If you could play a round of golf with any three sports figures (dead or alive, on the field or off) who would you choose and why: (1) Hakeem Olajuwon, in his 1993-1994 season he was the first player to be named NBA MVP, NBA Defensive Player of the Year and NBA Finals MVP in the same season. Even though he was a beast on the court he won me over as my favorite NBA player because of his off court humbleness. (2) Florida Head Coach Urban Meyer, this man is a coaching genius. Don’t believe me? Read his book - Urban's Way: Urban Meyer, the Florida Gators, and His Plan to Win. (3) Tiger Woods, it just would be weird for me not answer with the best golfer in the world with such an inquiry.