The Sport, Arts, and Entertainment Management Business is one where a lot of people want to break in. If you want to break in where you're competing with a lot of people, then you need to have something that sets you apart.
The edge that our students have is we're the only program in the country that has all three disciplines, sport, arts, and entertainment housed in the school of business.
So you have the foundation for a business degree, but then you get more focused on sports, arts, or entertainment.
We have industry professionals that are actually teaching the classes.
I bring 25 years of experience in fund raising and arts management.
I spent about 35 years as concert promoter here. And I wanted to continue on, and I love giving back to the students.
My background really involves both sides as an artist as well as an arts manager. Most recently I have been director of marketing for the Greater Pittsburgh arts council and just before that director of marketing and sales for Pittsburgh Opera.
My specialty is media, in particular internet marketing.
My expertise are on the sports management side. I have an office across town where I manage the careers of athletes and celebrities.
It's so different learning from somebody who can bring you that real world experience. You're not just opening a book and looking at a page, you're listening to actual real life experience from this person. You're looking at an athlete's contract. You're looking at this stuff that most people can't see, and it's unlike any other.
We take an approach of when you get on the job the first day, what is it you need to know to do your job.
We do a lot of backstage tours at concert facilities or arenas. It's only backstage. I want to know how big the stage is, where the loading docks are, where we gonna feed the band, how much power do we have in the building.
We know that although classroom experience is important, people get hired because they have experience. So we encourage one, two, three internships.
I got the marketing and promotions internship here at Stage AE, and each professor has helped me with a recommendation to get my foot in the door.
So we reached an agreement with Stage AE here on the North Side where we have a physical classroom. We actually have a few that have interned and have gone to gain employment here at Stage AE.
One of the advantages of Point Park University is that we are in the hub of Downtown.
Pittsburgh is really an extension of our campus.
The heart of Pittsburgh is beating strong when you think about Market Square and the Cultural District.
There are not many other institutions where you literally roll out of bed, hit Heinz Field, hit the Benedum Center, the Cultural District all the theaters and entertainment venues.
So if we recommend something to them, they can easily take advantage of something by walking there.
My fellow colleagues that I have at other arts organizations look to Point Park for students that can really come in and hit the ground running working in their operation.
I learned how valuable this major was especially after I left because I got a job very quickly. I was done in December and then in March, I was moving to LA with a huge job.
When you graduate from Point Park, you're ready to get into the real world. You're ready to go apply for jobs. Because the degree is a sport, arts, and entertainment management degree, I felt like I was so far ahead of the game than anybody else. Put my resume against anybody, and I feel like I'll come out on top.
