Wilmington College sport management students engage in 'Pro Day'
Wilmington College sophomore Quinlan Meyers (right) speaks with WC alumnus Joshua Chua, who works for Rock Entertainment Group, which oversees a conglomerate of teams and organizations in Cleveland and around the country. They include the Cleveland Cavaliers, Monsters, Charge and Cleveland Pro Soccer. (Submitted photo)
The Cincinnati Reds, Columbus Blue Jackets, FC Cincinnati, NFL On-Location, Dayton Dragons, Ohio State University Athletics and the Cleveland Browns, Cavaliers and Monsters were among 26 sport-related organizations at Wilmington College Thursday (March 7). Representatives met with sport management students to discuss internship and employment opportunities at WC's Annual Sport Management Professional Day.
The event takes on a speed networking format in which WC students interview for seven minutes with representatives from an organization before moving to the next one in the rotation. After several hours, each student, ideally, participated in 26 interviews with sport management industry practitioners looking to hire interns and entry-level positions — and share their success stories.
Dr. Alan Ledford, WC's program director noted that, even if his students aren't offered positions that day, the experience "can only make them better" for the future.
"Many of our students will be called back for second interviews," Ledford added, noting that not only are graduating seniors encouraged to participate in Pro Day each year, but also students as early in their College experience as freshmen. "Going through the interview process before graduation is a major asset. They have the ability to craft their elevator pitch and work on interviewing skills."
And there are good reasons why the aforementioned professional franchises, along with Fangate Solutions, Cincinnati Public Schools and the Clinton County Youth Council — among many others — come to Wilmington College for Pro Day. The evidence rests in the success many have enjoyed hiring Wilmington College students and alumni. Indeed, a dozen or so of the organizations' Pro Day recruiters are WC alumni who, for many of them, were on the other side of the interview as recently as a year or two ago.
"This is my favorite day of the year,” Ledford said. "I feel like it's a sport management reunion. Many alumni here today attended this event as students. They went with us to work the Super Bowl and College Football Final Four and other hands-on learning experiences available to our majors.
“Current students now can see the full circle from student to practitioner — which I'm most proud of.”
Other vendors who interacted with WC students were Bexley Recreation, Blanchester High School, Chillicothe Paints, Fayette County YMCA, Fayetteville-Perry Local Schools, Forever Lawn, Midstream Lighting, Pig Works, Prodigy Search, Rock Entertainment, St. Bernard-Elmwood Place High School, Warren County Visitors Bureau, Wilmington High School and Wilmington College.
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