Southern Miss Sport Management Symposium Connects Students With Industry Leaders
Mon, 05/05/2025 - 01:04pm | By: Dr. Chris Croft
The Sport Management program at The University of 麻豆传媒 recently held its second annual Sport Management Symposium in Scianna Hall on the Hattiesburg campus. The event featured a professional panel and a networking fair, offering current Sport Management students鈥攁s well as students from other majors鈥攁n opportunity to learn more about the sports industry. More than 70 students attended and participated in the various events.
The professional panel included a Q & A forum on entering the sports industry, panelists鈥� professional backgrounds, and insights into the current positions and organizations. Representatives included New Orleans Saints and Pelicans, Biloxi Shuckers, Mississippi Mud Monsters, and Southern Miss Athletics. The Mississippi Mud Monsters are making their inaugural debut this spring as a new Minor League Baseball team in Jackson.
Panelists included:
- Chryssi Flores, Director of Game Day Experience - New Orleans Saints and Pelicans
- Shawn Jones, Senior Deputy Athletics Director - Southern Miss Athletics
- Nick Ray, Assistant Athletics Facilities Manager - Southern Miss Athletics (Southern Miss Sport Management alumnus)
- Andrew Seymour, General Manager - Mississippi Mud Monsters
- Sydney Vadney, Ticket Operations Manager - Biloxi Shuckers
Following the panel, students met with professionals during the networking fair held in Lock Commons. Fifteen organizations hosted tables where students could explore internship and entry-level job opportunities, as well as build professional connections.
Organizations represented at the networking fair included:
- ASM Global
- Biloxi Shuckers
- Mississippi Mud Monsters
- Mississippi Gulf Coast YMCA
- Mississippi Seawolves
- New Orleans Saints
- New Orleans Pelicans
- NCS鈦� (National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security)
- Southern Miss Athletics
- Southern Miss Campus Recreation
- Southern Miss Career Services
- Southern Miss E-sports
- Southern Miss Sport Properties
- Southern Miss Student Eagle Club
The symposium was coordinated by Dr. Sabrina Reed, assistant teaching professor of Sport Management.
鈥淲e had a great turnout of our students, stated Reed. 鈥淲e had a 38% increase in attendance compared to last year鈥檚 symposium. This event was not just for Sport Management majors. While Sport Management majors did account for most of the participants, other majors鈥撯�搃ncluding communications, digital journalism, finance, hospitality and tourism, psychology, and more鈥撯�揳lso attended. Graduate students from the MBA and our Sport Management master鈥檚 programs participated as well. We are already looking forward to next year鈥檚 symposium!鈥�
Sarah Pazos, a senior Sport Management student, added, 鈥淲hat an honor it was to be able to attend the second annual Sport Management Symposium! Hearing from professionals in a broad range of disciplines gave invaluable insight into how diverse the sports profession is, and the potential one can achieve with hard work and dedication. I look forward to next year鈥檚 event!鈥�
Gabby Wilcox, a Sport Management minor, noted, 鈥淭he Sport Management Symposium was a great opportunity to not only hear about professionals鈥� experiences in the sport industry, but also students got the opportunity to network with these professionals. Events like this are beneficial for Sport Management students to learn from professionals and see what they can do to get their foot in the door.鈥�