During the first week of fall semester, students and faculty in the College of Education & Human Development's sport administration program participated in an experiential learning opportunity at the TOUR Championship hosted at East Lake Golf Club Aug. 23-27.
Students and faculty served as volunteers for the mega-event that features the 30 best PGA TOUR players compete for the season-long prize, the FedEx Cup.
Students experienced event operations in various roles, including for the TOUR Championship staff during Advance Week, Safety Committee during Tournament Week and hospitality in the 1904 Club.
During Advance Week, Aug. 12-20, students assisted the TOUR Championship staff and were led by Tournament Services Coordinator Amanda Greathouse.
During Tournament Week, Aug. 21-27, students volunteered on the Safety Committee. Led by Beth Cianfrone, sport administration program coordinator and Safety Committee chair, and Anthony Cesiro, TOUR director of corporate safety, students were trained to identify and correct safety hazards throughout the course to ensure a safe experience for players, spectators, volunteers and staff.
“It was the first golf tournament I’ve ever attended, and it was amazing,” said sport administration master’s student Catherine Osborn about her experiences on the Safety Committee. “I came to Georgia State University wanting more volunteer experience in sports, and I’m glad my first chance was at the TOUR Championship.”
Undergraduate sport administration student Travis Roche added, “Witnessing the coordination and planning behind the scenes was a true eye-opener. This event gave me a new perspective of the importance of community collaboration and event management.”
Orborn and Roche were joined by sport administration students Natalie Bunch, Katie Flynn, John Knowles, Grace Liaw, Madison McKinney, Jackson Sears, Steven Tete and Michelle Vazquez. CEHD faculty members Chermaine Cole and Robert Sroka also served as volunteers during the tournament.
“The TOUR Championship is an invaluable opportunity for our students to gain meaningful hands-on experience while impacting a major sporting event,” Cianfrone said. “The fact that East Lake Golf Club is 10 minutes from campus helps students see the logistics of major events within the Atlanta community and reminds us that Georgia State is a premiere destination to learn and study the sport industry. I’m looking forward to these opportunities for our students again in 2024.”
The sport administration program is housed in the College of Education & Human Development’s Department of Kinesiology and Health and offers a Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies (B.I.S.) with concentration in sport administration, a Master of Science (M.S.) in Sport Administration and a Ph.D. in Kinesiology with a concentration in sport administration. The master’s program is currently ranked No. 13 in the United States in the SportBusiness International Postgraduate Course Rankings.
For program information, contact Cianfrone at [email protected] or follow the program on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @GSUSportAdmin.