Name: Kevin Rossi
Current
Year:
Pre-Junior
Freshman
Dorm:
Myers
Co-Ops: Comcast-Spectacor
(Wells Fargo Center)
Area
of Interest:
Public Relations, Media Relations, Digital Marketing, Social Media
What
is your favorite memory from freshman year?
My
favorite memory aside from meeting a whole new group of friends may actually be
realizing that sport management is right for me. Many people are scared away by the fact that
the industry doesn’t immediately pay well, but it is true when people say that
you’ll love what you do. I worked very
hard my freshmen year, but I barely felt like I did any “work” because I loved
every second of what I was doing. It has
already paid off for me and looking back at that memory of satisfaction keeps
me moving forward to where I want to be.
What
is the most important thing that you learned about sport management and the
sports industry?
I
think it’s close to impossible to pick just one thing, to be honest. First, you learn how important your network
truly is. Sport isn’t an industry where
your GPA gets you everywhere. You need
to know people and leverage those contacts.
It may seem a little awkward at first, but it gets easier with time.
Another
important thing is that you need to love what you do. You’re not going to get a co-op as the
assistant general manager. It’s just
ain’t gonna happen. I learned that I
love what I do and I’m willing to do whatever it takes to get to where I want
to be.
What
advice would you give to the freshman based on your experience?
My
advice to the freshman would be to step outside of your comfort zone and try
new things especially within the sport management program. You may come in to school thinking that you
want to be an agent or a general manager or a scout. Don’t take your eye off of your ultimate
goal, but know that you are going to have to work hard to get there and do
things that you’ve never done before.
Don’t rule anything out before you try it at least once.
Another
thing that may seem complicated is to not forget where you came from. You always want to look forward in college
but sometimes it’s necessary to look back.
Don’t forget about your high school friends and definitely don’t forget
about your family. Always make a
conscious effort to stay in contact with them.
You never know when you’ll need to ask them for a professional favor!
If
you could do it all over again, what would you do different?
Besides try to find a way to add more
hours in a day? Just kidding. If I could do it all over again, I would have
been more involved with the program. If
you become friends with the professors, then you will always have great
opportunities to come your way. Also I
would have stepped outside of my comfort zone quicker. Definitely try new things, talk to people
that you wouldn’t normally talk to, explore the city. Do NOT let these four or five years simply
pass you by.
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