The second annual WSU Sport Management Career Exploration Fair took place last Friday and gave students the opportunity to network with professionals in the field. This year’s event saw a number of different organizations represented including the Seattle Seahawks, Spokane Indians, WSU University Recreation and more. The event allowed students to tailor the day’s schedule to the specific field they have interest in. Students could focus on high school sports, international sports, social media and other important sport management fields. Most importantly students were able to network with people in their prospective field to get tips and tricks as well as opportunities for employment.

Students usually want to go work for a major sports team after they graduate but that isn’t usually a likely opportunity. The Speaker from the Spokane Indians outlined some of the opportunities that their organization can provide to current students or those just leaving the school. In some ways it can be more important for those fresh out of college to go and work for small market teams like the Indians. Large organizations generally aren’t able to provide as much hands on experience as those in the lower minor leagues because there are much less people on staff and they have interns wear a number of different hats besides the main one that they applied for in the internship. Not only do the players from those small market teams go on to bigger and better things, so do many of the interns.

For those who are interested in working with a professional team, students were able to pick the brains of college alumni to find out how they were able to find opportunities. Duncan Jensen was a former student and has now found himself working in sales with the Phoenix Suns. He was able to provide professional and practical tips from the viewpoint of a former student.

The Sport Management program seems to be following in the steps of the Murrow College which has hosted the Murrow Symposium for 42 years, and the Career Exploration Fair looks like it will be a college staple for years to come. While it may not get as much recognition on social media as the Symposium, with a wide range of experiences represented there should be something for every student at the fair.