UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — For the second year in a row, the student-run Penn State Sports Business Conference will welcome industry professionals and former professional athletes to the University Park campus with the goal of connecting students with valuable resources and motivating the future generation of the sports business industry at the University.
The two-day conference, which will take place March 18-19, follows the success of the 2018 conference, which was the first of its kind at Penn State.
“We find immense value in educating students in a dynamic, interactive environment outside the boundaries of a typical classroom setting,” conference co-president Maeve Heneghan said. “This conference offers a unique opportunity for students interested in sports business to explore the field and its many opportunities.”
The conference strives to connect students with professionals to develop meaningful relationships, as well as educate current students about the many opportunities within the sports business world. The strong Penn State alumni network plays a role in continuing to diversify and expand that network by providing a platform in which alumni working in the sports business industry can give back to the community.
On March 18, the conference will begin with a career night and networking reception in the Beaver Stadium President’s Suite from 6:30-9 p.m. This event will include a stadium tour prior to the reception, light refreshments, career information from recruiters, and a sports experience, virtual-reality demonstration.
The conference moves to the Nittany Lion Inn on March 19 for a series of moderated panel discussions from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
A variety of speakers will be featured at the conference, discussing their experience on relevant topics in the field such as:
- athlete representation
- experiential hospitality and events
- eSports
- wealth management
- women and minorities in sports
- marketing, digital media
- global partnership and strategy
- breaking into sports
Featured speakers include:
- Morning Keynote (9:30-10:15 a.m.): Mark French, a successful entrepreneur in the sports, entertainment, media and technology industries
- Special Guest (1:20-1:45 p.m.): Sandy Barbour, Penn State’s vice president for Intercollegiate Athletics
- Afternoon Keynote (3:35-4:10 p.m.): Brian Westbrook, former running back for the Philadelphia Eagles
The price of attendance to the conference, which includes food and drinks in the President’s Suite on March 18 and breakfast and lunch at the Nittany Lion Inn on March 19, is $30 for students and $60 for faculty or other professionals.
To purchase tickets for the conference, interested parties should contact Penn State Sports Business Conference co-presidents Wil Furher, wjf5102@psu.edu, and Maeve Heneghan, mheneghan11@gmail.com.
AT&T is the presenting sponsor of the conference. Other partners include Dick’s Sporting Goods, Morgan Stanley, Mortenson Construction, Penn State’s Center for Sports in Society and Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics.
For more information concerning conference speakers and events, please visit the Penn State Sports Business Conference website.