Student Testimonials

"My time as a student in the Sport Commerce graduate program was a knowledge enhancing experience that I would absolutely recommend to any student. As I discovered, the curriculum prepares students for a wide range of careers not only in sport, but many other industries also. My writing and presentation skills, as well as my general knowledge of the industry, have been greatly improved through this program. The professors are very knowledgeable in the field and are driven by the success of their students, which is evident in their clear interest and willingness to help in every student's future career. I truly enjoyed my experience as a student and graduate assistant at The University of Memphis."

- Chelsea Bullock, MS 2014

"The U of M Sport Commerce graduate program has been a complete career changer for me. It has allowed me the opportunity to learn the academic side of what it takes to work in sport, as well as the professional aspect from my experience working in the Memphis Athletics Marketing Department. The connections that I established, along with the skills and experience I gained here, are the perfect combination that will allow me to be successful in this career."

- Brynn Conapitski, MS 2012

"The University of Memphis Sport and Leisure Commerce program was a wonderful experience for me. I was able to learn from some amazing professors. It helped me gain more insight into working in intercollegiate athletics. Long term, I would like to be an athletic director. The program allowed me to learn about so many different facets of the sport industry. The faculty and staff in the department were amazing and very helpful during my time at Memphis."

- Zachary Lane, MS 2012

"My time at the U of M prepared me very well for my appointment, having had the opportunity to be a Tiger student-athlete and the opportunity to learn from quality instructors in the sport management field provided me hands-on, practical experience. The professors in sport management took great pride in teaching us the core principles, and really took the time to ensure we were learning and growing as students. The opportunities available with the Memphis sport community provided me with hands-on experience that I was able to take and apply in my career, along with class discussions."

- Ryan Ivey, MS 2010

"I heard about the quality of the professors and their knowledge of the field. I visited before I made my final decision and was so impressed with the faculty that I choose the U of M."

- Charles Fasnacht, BS 2009

"The prospect with the sales class is what sold me. The opportunity that the sales class provided to gain experience right away and a program that makes it possible to graduate in 12 months is what makes the program the right fit for me."

- Courtney Munson, MS 2009

"The University of Memphis sport and leisure management program not only provided me with the educational framework necessary to start my career in the professional sports industry, but it also equipped me with the skills and experience necessary to advance it."

- Amber Bryant, BS 2008

"Working with the sport management program at the university of Memphis was the launching pad for my career in sport. The knowledge and experience I gained in this program opened the door to so many great career opportunities and is the reason I was able to land a full time marketing position with a minor league baseball team."

- Lauren Truax, BS 2007

"The decision to earn my master's degree in the department of Health and Sports Sciences at the University of Memphis proved to be a great one as I was able to spend quality hours learning from some of the sport marketing industry's best researchers and teachers. I was well prepared to enter the workforce after earning my degree and completing an internship with Learfield Sports, a company recommended to me through the master's program. In the years since graduation, I've worked within college sports and the non-profit event-planning world, and now I'm happy to have landed in a career within Minor League Baseball where I'm allowed to be creative and reach into the pool of knowledge fostered while at the U of M. Go Tigers!"

- Jenna Kubesch-Raizes, MS 2007

"The graduate program in Sport and Leisure Commerce, and the encounter with my mentor in particular, provided me with a life-changing opportunity to start my career as a competitive scholar in the field of sport studies. As an international student, I faced difficulty due to the difference in language, culture, and education system, but was fortunate to have a lot of support from my advisor, faculty members, and classmates. My student life in Memphis was full of diverse cultural experiences, excitement for intellectual development, and passion for sport."

- Koji Kobayashi, MS 2007

"The graduate program in the Department of Health and Sports Sciences helped launch me into an outstanding career in sport and marketing. I feel fortunate to have been in the program at a time when there was major expansion occurring, and the students were involved in a number of cutting-edge opportunities. We began working with the Memphis Redbirds, the Memphis Grizzlies, Ford Motors, the National Strength and Conditioning Association, and many others, performing duties such as selling tickets, creating marketing campaigns, and getting hands-on experience in business. I was able to use those skills to help land jobs at the U.S. Open Tennis Tournament, NCAA Certified tournaments, and the Super Bowl. It was specifically through the help of instructors in this department that I was able to land my position with the Super Bowl and this will be my sixth year working the game. I will forever carry the knowledge and relationships from the Department of Health and Sports Sciences into my future."

- Ryan Luttrell, MS 2007

"The University of Memphis Sport Commerce program was a major game changer both professionally and personally for me. The U of M program gave me the opportunity to learn from some of the most experienced sport management professors in the country as well as introduce me to top sport management professionals in the industry. I am very proud to have been a member of the inaugural class that built the Sports Sales Training Center. Being a part of the U of M program gave me the opportunity to work with Memphis Grizzlies and Memphis Redbirds as part of my curriculum. This platform allowed for them to teach us the skills we would need in our future careers by taking us outside of the classroom and allowing us to work with two professional sports teams. I was able to gain invaluable sales experience prior to leaving the Master's program, which indisputably made me more marketable in the real world and gave me the upper hand over other candidates when I began my job search. Because of this program and the real life preparation they provided, I was offered opportunities in the NBA, MLB, MLB.com, and multiple sports marketing agencies. They also provided us with opportunities to connect with professionals in the industry by offering trips to conferences and job fairs across the country. While finishing up my Master's, I was offered an internship at a sports marketing firm in Chicago, which not only gave me my final credits for my Master's but also eventually turned into a full time job. During my three year tenure with the sports marketing firm, I worked with MLB, MLB.com, multiple All-Star games, the U.S Open Tennis Tournament, Gatorade, ESPN, Fox Sports, CBS Sports, Cal Ripken Jr, Erin Andrews, and countless other sport entities. It was evident to my colleagues and managers that I was prepared and knowledgeable about the sports sponsorship and sales arena because of my experience at the U of M. I am now a Regional Sales Manager at Groupon, managing some of Groupon's largest Northeast cities. I was the 40th employee at Groupon, one of the first sales executives, and eventually became one of the first sales managers bringing in over $110 million dollars in revenue to the company. I firmly believe I was able to accomplish these achievements because of the preparation, real world experience and opportunities The University of Memphis's Sport Commerce Program gave me."

- Katy Schuberth, MS 2007