story by Max Clifford
Sport Administration Master’s Student
Students from the College of Education & Human Development’s sport administration program spent three days in February volunteering at the Atlanta Motor Speedway for the Ambetter Health 400.
Students from the sport administration bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral programs were on hand for a weekend full of festivities leading up to the race.
The collaboration marked the second partnership between the program and Atlanta Motor Speedway (AMS) during the current academic year, and the third in the last calendar year.
The budding relationship between AMS and the sport administration program has been spearheaded in part by Georgia State alumnus McKenzie Watson (B.I.S. ’23). He began working as an events coordinator after completing his field experience internship at AMS. He is one of an expanding network of alumni working to share knowledge and experience with current Panthers.
For many students, their time at AMS was their first experience with NASCAR. “NASCAR was not a sport I considered wanting to work in, but after this opportunity it sparked a new interest in me,” said undergraduate student Julianna Kim.
She also credited leadership with making her feel welcome. “Doctoral students Jackson Sears and Natalie Bunch were very helpful when it came to explaining our responsibilities,” she said. “And Mckenzie Watson was also very nice and helpful in providing us with a friendly environment.”
While on site, students assisted guests with tickets, answered navigation questions and fulfilled other hospitality needs. More than 30,000 visitors turned up to catch the Ambetter Health 400 in person, and sport administration students were there to help the event run smoothly.
“It was exciting to be part of such a large-scale event and see firsthand how everything comes together behind the scenes,” said graduate student Charlie Ward. “The energy from the fans and the teamwork among the volunteers made it a really rewarding opportunity.”
The sport administration program prepares students to work in the sport industry and is housed in the College of Education & Human Development’s Department of Kinesiology and Health. They offer a Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies (B.I.S.) with a 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.