Alumni Newsletter | Fall/Winter 2014 Welcome Dear Master of Sports Leader- ship Alumni, As the calendar year comes to a close and we look forward to 2015, those of us with the Master of Sports Leadership program have much to be proud of as we reflect upon the accomplishments of our alumni and current students. 2014 Summer Institute in review This year has been an eventful year for the program: We graduated 33 The annual Summer Institute is, hands-down, one of the Booras ’10 (MIT Development), Shanna Kornachuk ’07 MSL students last spring, held our favorite parts of the MSL program. This year’s session (Harvard University Athletics), Jennifer Maitland ’10 (Ree- inaugural MSL Alumni Reception and was no different. Classes and lectures were designed to bok), Jen Miller-McEachern ’13 (MIT Athletics), Wole Oke gave out our first-ever Excellence in have students come together to solidify leadership skills, ’11 (Wheelock College Athletics), Tony Price ’14 (Randolph Sports Leadership Awards during the exchange ideas, examine current issues in sport and High School Athletics), John Savoia (Providence Sports and Summer Institute. society, and consider how personal leadership can offer Entertainment), Matt Scully ’11 (New England Patriots). I appreciate the extraordinary level solutions for change. of engagement that our alumni have On the last night we celebrated at the first-ever Master shown and the accomplishments This year, 45 students visited the Northeastern Boston of Sports Leadership Alumni Reception, held at LIR you continue to achieve as leaders in campus from July 7-11. Northeastern University Athletic in Boston, where alumni and students networked over the sports community. Keep up your Director Peter Roby taught his renowned Sport in Society appetizers. We presented the inaugural CPS Master outstanding efforts and please let me course, while Dr. Robert Prior led the Sports Media of Sports Leadership Excellence in Sports Leadership know if there is anything that I can Relations class each day. The week included numerous Awards to Dave Hoffman ’09, Director of Community do to assist you. experiential learning opportunities for the students. Relations for the Boston Celtics, and Shanna Kornachuk All the best! ’07, Assistant Director of Athletics for Compliance at Several sports industry guest lecturers joined sessions. Harvard University. Dr. Robert M. Prior Mike Dowling (WCVB-TV Sports), Mike Lynch (Boston Uni- Professor, Master of Sports versity Athletics), Mark Majewski (Boston College Athletic Leadership Program 617-943-3941 Communications) and Courtney Megliola (Conover, Tuttle [email protected] & Pace PR Agency) shared their expertise and led engag- ing conversations. On Tuesday night, the group headed off to the Boston Red Sox vs. Chicago White Sox game. The next Inside This Issue: day students returned to Fenway Park, where profes- Welcome Message .........1 sor Roby’s class held their session in the press lounge. Up Close with Tony Price .....2 Boston Red Sox Chief Operating Officer Sam Kennedy and A Long Term Commitment ....3 Fenway Sports Management VP for Integrated Sales and Get to Know ..............4 MSL alum Jonathan Chin spoke to the class. Pictured from left: John Caron, CPS Senior Associate Dean Student Q&A..............5 for Academic and Faculty Affairs; Dr. Robert Prior, Master of That evening, we held the Master of Sports Leadership Always a Coach at Heart .....6 Sports Leadership faculty member; award winner Dave Hoff- Panel Event in the Raytheon Center at Egan Hall. The man,'09, Director of Community Relations, Boston Celtics; Student Q&A..............7 evening began with a buffet dinner, followed by a Q&A award winner Shanna Kornachuk, '07, Assistant Director of Athletics for Compliance, Harvard University; Professor Peter Charlotte MLS Program......8 session with the following MSL alum guest panelists: Mike Alumni Updates ..........10 Roby, NU Athletic Director and Master of Sports Leadership faculty member. www.cps.neu.edu | 360 Huntington Avenue Boston, MA 02115 1 | Fall/Winter 2014 Up close with Tony Price ’14 Tony Price is an athletics administrator and coach with a vast background in youth devel- opment, youth sports and collegiate athletics. He’s been a college head basketball coach and currently works as the athletic director for Randolph Public Schools, a suburban high school near Boston. The recent MSL grad, author of the book An Unsung Coach, father and grandfather shares his views on his ex- perience at Northeastern, his job and his life. Why did you choose the Master’s in Sports Leadership? I was mid-career and knew I wanted to even- How does your graduate degree fit into How did you fit school in as a busy tually go off-court as a coach and move into your career path? father and grandfather? athletics administration. I knew that technolo- I knew I would have to brush up on my One benefit of the program is the flexibility. gies and skills change, so I wanted catch up. I skills to have an attractive resume. Having Taking classes online really helped me go talked to a few people who told me about the earned my MSL shows that I took initiative at my own pace. You know at the begin- program’s flexibility and wonderful courses. to get a master’s, and that’s made me more ning of the week what’s required of you so attractive to employers who want to see if you love schedules it’s great—it’s all laid How did you choose Northeastern? that academic background. out. It was intimidating at first but I would I grew up in the housing development behind do it all over again. Northeastern. I never thought I’d be good Has the program’s networking helped enough or smart enough to go to a school you professionally? How has the Master’s in Sports Leader- like Northeastern. It’s funny how things come Networking didn’t play as big a role for ship impacted your life? full circle. I had a successful academic career me as it did for younger students in the I grew up in a housing development. I felt there during the two-and-a-half years it took MSL. But I still made connections and saw responsible at a young age to be someone getting my degree. openings for internships and jobs for other who people could respect. I want to show students. And I had the chance to hire a people that when I talk about a career in Why did you decide to go back to school, mid-career? student out of the program to come work sports it goes way beyond just being on with me as an assistant athletic director. a playing field. There are a lot of ways I had a lot of experience but the program He’s been a great addition to our staff. to be a professional in athletics and I’m taught me what’s happening today and how passionate about having people see that I it’s changed since I entered the industry. You What have you been able to apply on can make a living in sports—but I’m also get pigeon holed in one certain segment and the job? a leader. forget about all that’s happening around you. When I arrived at my job three years ago, I found that the coursework was relevant and there weren’t coach or student athletics helped me learn the new technologies. I use handbooks. Learning about liability, sports what I learned every day in the athletic pro- law and ways to plan ahead let me put these grams I run and it helps me shape a mission together, as well as emergency action plans and vision in the schools. and protective measures for administrators. 2 www.cps.neu.edu | 360 Huntington Avenue Boston, MA 02115 | Fall/Winter 2014 A long-term commitment Amanda Shank, ’11, devotes a decade There’s a nuance to solving to the NFL Players Association. “ any business problem, and Amanda Shank considers herself lucky. Her working through challenges first professional gig out of college was her with our partners keeps dream job: an administrative assistant in things interesting. Player Marketing with NFL Players Inc., the ” business arm of the NFL Players Associa- tion. It’s now been almost nine years, and Shank doesn’t see herself going anywhere any time soon. She worked her way up to her current role she says. “The program gave me an oppor- interests of the players. “Those are our as Senior Manager, Multimedia and Uncon- tunity to step back from the day-to-day of my members and constituents, so we’ll always ventional Licensing, which challenges her job and think about how I could take my- take the necessary actions to protect their to create business opportunities for players self—and our business—to a different level.” rights,” she says. and help partners leverage the power of NFL players to promote their products. “It’s never as easy as slapping a quarterback’s Shank takes the time to speak to college In this situation, Shank has found her MSL face on a product and calling it a day,” she classes about her much-coveted position. critical thinking training especially use- jokes. “There’s a nuance to solving any A question she’s asked a lot is, “What’s it ful. “At the end of the day, every image business problem, and working through like to be a professional woman in a male- approval, every marketing decision, every challenges with our partners keeps things dominated field?” She’s happy to respond contract comes down to the best interest of interesting.” What she loves most is seeing that it’s not something that even crosses her our players and their union,” she says.