News & Photos
Sport Administration 501 Corporation Provides Real Life Experience
By Liz Connolly
Team-oriented, committed, determined and ambitious are characteristics that define students after they complete the graduate Administration of Sport and Recreation course (Sport Admin 501 Corp) at Temple University. For more than 14 weeks, students learn, live and breathe administrative planning, organization, evaluation, and the implementation of community, university, international, sport, event and fundraising activities
All students enrolled in the Sport Admin 501 Corp course are working toward a Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Sport/Recreation Administration and generally take the course at the beginning of their first fall semester. The concept behind the course is simple: to give students extensive experience in sport recreation and administration sectors, while building a team or company through their class.
Class professor, Dr. Michael Jackson, says, “The course is a shortcut and test for those who wish to learn more about the administrative elements of the sport/recreation industry, its demands and challenges.”
From day one, Dr. Jackson enters the classroom and gives students a list of academic assignments, programs and events that they will plan from start to finish, some that will occur in the coming weeks. Dr. Jackson explains the first night of class that instead of a traditional “test and quizzes” course, he can expose students to the ins-and-outs of the industry.
At the first class, students get to know each other’s names, where they are from and their future goals. Soon after, students have a quiz on the background of each of their classmates and move into the discussion of Sport/Recreation Administration.
It is important for students to get to know each other because, for the rest of the semester, they will work side-by-side for many hours every week. A scavenger hunt in the second class builds teamwork skills and allows students to get to know one another better and recognize each other’s strengths. After both an academic and a Temple University familiarization scavenger hunt, students started planning the 13th Annual Golf Outing to be held at LuLu Country Club in North Hills, Pa., with only five weeks to coordinate all of the details.
Current class president, Rasa Vella, remarked on the planning period, “We are purposely put into positions where we have to think critically and make quick decisions, like in the real world with each person taking a different role.” The class elects their leadership and are divided into a variety of committees including social, marketing, alumni, golf, civic and Web site to plan the golf outing and other events. Having reviewed last year’s annual report of the 12th Annual Golf Outing, students had a brief guideline to plan this year’s event. In addition to meeting for class on Tuesdays, students schedule weekly meetings to discuss vital preparations, decisions and means by which to evaluate their decisions.
The five week Golf Outing preparation period included marketing the event to encourage people to attend, locating sponsors, planning the menu, developing a Chinese auction and various contests (hole in one and grab bags), and finding supporters to donate auction items and prizes. Temple Recreation, Temple Athletics and Cliffstar Corporation were just three of the sponsors that attended this year’s golf outing held on Oct. 13. The donated items for the auction and contests included sports memorabilia, a digital camera, signed jerseys and balls, jewelry and restaurant gift certificates, golf lessons, cigars and much more. Proceeds from the event were contributed to The David Bitman Memorial Scholarship Fund and Coaches vs. Cancer of Philadelphia.
With much planning and little sleep for the Sport Admin 501 Corp class, the 13th Annual Golf Outing was a huge success. "This year's golf outing was the best organized and the best conducted of all the outings, and I have attended all of them," explained Dr. Ira Shapiro, Chairperson, STHM.
Following the completion of the 13th Annual Golf Outing, the Sport Admin 501 Corp class was still in full swing planning and completing other activities and fulfilling academic responsibilities for the duration of the semester. Some of their community service projects included the AIDS Walk, Owl Watch, Lupus Loop, Boo at the Zoo and Trick or Treat for UNICEF. The class has also adopted the Philadelphia School for the Deaf where they assisted in various volunteer programs. Additional academic, social and alumni events for the class included intramural competition, Beef and Beer, Alumni Tailgate, a class with a guest speaker held at the “Linc” prior to a Temple Football game, a Leadership Forum, a budget game challenge, a Symposium of Professionals and the upcoming End of the Year Banquet. All this in one semester!
The Sport Admin 501 Corp concept was introduced approximately 15 years ago as part of the Administration of Sport and Recreation course at Temple, and alumni communications plays a huge role in the structure of the course. Each year’s class is expected to assist the upcoming year’s course direction including: contributing a task to the very active class responsibility agenda, making reading list recommendations, mentoring, supporting fundraising efforts, volunteering to speak about their professional experiences, networking about available internships and employment positions, recruiting new students for the program and staying in touch to help maintain a "Family"-like relationship.
The substantial amount of time and effort that goes into the class and each challenge is testimony to the real life experience that each Administration of Sport/Recreation student is receiving.
To learn more about the course, check out the 2008 class’ Web site at http://www.temple501.com/.