William Penn University Students Travel to Dallas, TX to Gain Hands-on Experience
11/06/2018
Dr. Glenn Steimling, Associate Professor at William Penn University, accompanied a group of students to the Sport Marketing Association annual conference in Dallas, Texas, October 24-26, 2018. The purpose of the conference is for professionals and students to meet, share research, discuss new paradigms, and discover new trends.
Although the students exemplify WPU’s diverse nature, they are all studying Sport Management at William Penn. Shaulanda Benally, Phoenix, AZ; Tyler Boyle, Oskaloosa, IA; Romeo Robertson, Phoenix, AZ: and Justine Torres, Brownsville, TX attended the conference with Steimling in Dallas, Texas.
Students who participated in the conference were able to gain real-world experience in their field of study and network with experts. For example, when they partook in the Aspired Group Case Study Bowl. Participants were given three days prior to the event create responses to a simulated scenario and present their conclusions at the conference. Penn students were able to work strategically and showcase their acumen, as they placed in the top-15 in the country.
“Taking students to a professional conference is great for many factors beyond the basic academic experience. Sessions were led by true experts in the field, such as Buffy Filippell, the Founder of TeamWork Online, where she detailed the importance of college preparation in career pursuits and how communication can affect hiring and their career path,” said Steimling.
“The students had the opportunity to attend over 40 different research presentations on many different topics while interacting with college professors and sport marketing professionals from around the world. Since returning to campus, the students who went to SMA have become more engaged in classes, advocates for future conference attendance, and have more ideas about future careers and industry contacts.”
The students, however, weren’t the only ones participating in the conference. Dr. Glenn Steimling presented “Sport Marketing in Small Markets” at the pedagogy workshop. His presentation outlined a reoccurring project to help small colleges be creative in their environments. He designates local entities as clients and has students work on bids to ‘win’ the business of those clients, based on market research, segmentation, content, and other key factors. He explains how the use of small community businesses expands the opportunities for practical experience.
About the Sport Management major at William Penn University
The Sport Management academic program combines specific coursework in the sport and recreation fields with the business fundamentals necessary to become a successful professional. The comprehensive curriculum combined with hands-on experience gained through field experiences and internships give our students the academic knowledge and practical training required for success in the industry. Find out more at www.wmpenn.edu.