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Andreas Xenofontos ’23 M.S. recently had what he calls an “amazing experience” travelling to Houston, Texas, where he and several of his classmates participated in the Case Study Cup at the 2022 Conference. Not only did he try ice skating for the first time and visit , Xenofontos gained professional skills and enjoyed invaluable networking opportunities.

A candidate in the University’s graduate program in sport management, Xenofontos and his teammates gained hands-on experience as they collaborated and presented their research to a panel of judges who represented Houston’s professional sports teams.

Xenofontos says preparing their presentation under a strict deadline gave him the confidence to know he can excel when faced with a similar challenge in his career. He says he is especially grateful for the opportunities he had to connect with other sports industry professionals at the conference.

“This was vital from a personal development and academic perceptive,” said Xenofontos, a member of the Chargers and a graduate assistant for the University’s Office of Graduate and International Student Life. “We got to interact and meet with people with similar interests to ours who are passionate about a career in sports or who are already well-established professionals.

“We expanded our networks dramatically in a short period of time,” he continued. “I never thought I would talk with the director of business operation for the or with people in the sports industry with thousands of followers. The in-person interaction gave me the opportunity to connect with them on a more personal level.”

‘Valuable insights that will be useful in the future’

Xenofontos was part of a team of graduate and undergraduate students from the University of New Haven who presented at the conference. As part of their research, they explored topics such as Houston’s demographics and the community initiatives of each of its professional sports teams. During their presentation to the judges, they discussed creative new initiatives each team could pursue. The ideas were inspired by what they learned about the most pressing social challenges facing the local community.

Mohammed Anas Ali ’22 M.S., ’23 M.S., who is pursuing graduate degrees in sport management and business analytics, says it was a wonderful opportunity to apply the skills he has developed in the classroom. The project, he explains, challenged him to think strategically and to examine how the dynamic sports industry can adapt and thrive amid the impact of a global pandemic.

“It was a great opportunity to learn how to do appropriate research and to analyze it according to industry standards,” Ali explains. “Presenting our work in front of industry professionals gave our team some valuable insights that will be useful in the future. We met and interacted with C-suite executives with the Houston Rockets, which included the chief marketing officer and chief revenue officer. This would not have been possible without such an opportunity.”

‘Teamwork is key’

For Josie Schmidt ’22, a sport management major, the experience enabled her to feel like she was part of a close-knit team while stepping out of her comfort zone. She enjoyed the camaraderie of collaborating with her teammates while developing her presentation skills.

“Building presentation and social skills go hand in hand,” she said. “Once you can become confident and comfortable in front of an audience, you will become more confident and comfortable creating relationships with other industry professionals.

“This conference helped me to build confidence within myself and my abilities,” Schmidt continued. “I am excited to carry that with me to the classroom and in my career. Events and opportunities like this are invaluable when it comes to building your network. These are the opportunities that employers want to see on your resume.”

Keira Integlia ’23 M.S. says the experience was “extremely rewarding” and that she too stepped out of her comfort zone. She enjoyed presenting to the judges and representing the University at the conference, as well as being part of the team.

“I learned, yet again, that teamwork is key,” said Integlia, a member of the Chargers women’s . “Being versatile, open to constructive criticism, and willing to try different routes will aid you in your success in the workplace. My teammates and I bounced around a lot of ideas and went back and forth on which aspects to include in our presentation. Our ability to effectively work together and understand each other's way of thinking ultimately allowed us to present an excellent proposal that received great feedback from the judges.”