Hometown: Murray, KY

Degree: M.S. in Sports Administration, 2011

What are the responsibilities of your current position?

I manage all of the marketing and PR initiatives for the Junior Sports Corporation, which is the owner and operator of the International Junior Golf Academy, the International Junior Golf Tour, the Ivan Lendl International Junior Tennis Academy, and the Heritage Academy.

What is your favorite part of the position?

I never have the same type of day two days in a row. There are many challenges that come to a position like this, but it also gives me a chance to work on something different each day. Having five different entities under my direction make for a very fast-paced environment, but it's worth it at the end of the day!

How did your education at MSU prepare you for working in the field?

The biggest advantage that MSU affords is the continuous push for experience in "the field." Each of the faculty encouraged getting involved in as many experiences as possible in the sports industry, and the department's many relationships with sporting entities allowed for easy access to those experiences.

What advice would you give to current students looking for internships or jobs in the field?

I have two key points for students:

The first is experience, experience, experience. I hire 10 to 15 interns every year, and the one thing that I look for is what they've done outside of the classroom. Internships are important, but they must have some kind of quality to them. An internship with a law firm may be good for your time management skills, but what did it teach you about marketing segmentation or ticket sales? At the same time, quantity may not be as heavily regarded as quality. One internship with the premium sales staff at MSU or with a sports team is better experience than four internships as a ticket usher.

The second is to work on your writing skills in all formats. With the prevalence of social media and SEO, there is an increasing demand for workers who can write. I will often take a journalism major over a marketing major when the other qualifications even out because I know that the journalism degree means writing experience. In fact, I always have a writing stage in my hiring process. The ability to write clearly and intelligently is so important in every aspect of the job, especially in marketing. Customers can be turned off from your brand very quickly if you cannot communicate with them effectively and/or if your communication points are written poorly. You may be thinking of press releases, website, or ad copy, but that also extends to social media, emails, and long and short form communication.