Administration

New scholarship to support students pursuing sports marketing

An anonymous gift of $50,000 will establish a new scholarship aimed at supporting students in the Penn State Smeal College of Business with an interest in the sports industry. Marketing students of at least junior standing with outstanding academic records and who are seeking a sports marketing focus will receive first preference for the scholarship.

Smeal has a number of resources for students interested in pursuing careers in sports business. Current courses recommended for a focus in sports marketing include the Introduction to Sports Business & Market Structure, Sports Marketing, Sports Marketing Models and Analytics, Personal Selling and Advanced Sales Management.

In addition, Smeal’s Center for Sports Business and Research (CSB&R) focuses on the study of sports business and marketing. The center offers career development, access to internships and academic training for students interested in the business of sports. In addition, it produces research related to sports business in topic areas such as market segmentation, analysis of competition, pricing and demand estimation, fan demand and attendance, promotion and fan avidity.

Wayne S. DeSarbo, distinguished professor and Smeal Chair in Marketing, serves as the executive director of the CSB&R. Instructor in Marketing John Powell serves as the center’s associate director. Chris McKeon is a research associate for CSB&R.

“This new scholarship provides more opportunities to reach out to deserving students and help them pursue their areas of interest in sports business,” said DeSarbo. “Sports is a huge industry, not just in the United States but across the globe, and every opportunity like this helps us position ourselves as leaders in the study of that industry.”

This scholarship will help the Smeal College of Business to reach its goals in For the Future: The Campaign for Penn State Students. This University-wide effort is directed toward a shared vision of Penn State as the most comprehensive, student-centered research university in America. The University is engaging Penn State's alumni and friends as partners in achieving six key objectives: ensuring student access and opportunity, enhancing honors education, enriching the student experience, building faculty strength and capacity, fostering discovery and creativity, and sustaining the University's tradition of quality. The campaign's top priority is keeping a Penn State degree affordable for students and families.

Last Updated May 21, 2014

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