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Sport Management Students Meet with Bengals, Cavaliers, Browns Reps at ‘Pro Day’

Sport Management

A Dozen Alumni Return Representing Sport Management Career Paths

The Cincinnati Bengals, Pittsburgh Penguins , Columbus Crew and Cleveland Browns were among 27, sport-related organizations at Wilmington College Friday (March 3). Representatives met with sport management students to discuss internship and employment opportunities at WC's Annual Sport Management Professional Day.

PICTURED: (LEFT) Dylan Voltz, a WC alumnus who serves as an account executive with the Cincinnati Bengals, interviews junior Lathan Jones during the College's annual Sport Management Pro Day. Yes, Voltz was wearing his Bengals' 2021 AFC Championship ring!

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 participated in 27 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 graduating seniors are 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 the Cleveland Cavaliers, FC Cincinnati and the Colorado Avalanche — among many others — come to Wilmington College for Pro Day. The evidence rests in the success they've enjoyed hiring Wilmington College students and alumni. Indeed, a dozen or so of the organizations' Pro Day recruiters are WC alumni that, 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 a student. They went with us to work the Super Bowl and College Football Final Four and other hands-on learning experiences available to our majors," he added. "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 the Akron Rubbernecks, Chillicothe Paints, Clinton County Youth Council, Dayton Dragons, FabGate Solutions, Fayette County YMCA, Florence Y-Alls, Future Stars of Dayton, Hall of Fame Village, Midstream Lighting, NCAA, Northern Kentucky Convention Center, The Ohio State University, Pro Camps/G3, Rock Entertainment (Cleveland Cavaliers and Cleveland Monsters), University of Cincinnati. Warren County Visitors Bureau and Wilmington College.

Also attending were recent graduates who are now directors of athletics at Riverview East High School and Medora (IN) High School, and director of athletic communication at Earlham College.