Master of science in sport business students Megan Hunt (left) and Stephanie Ku (right) were selected to participate in Major League Baseball’s “Take the Field” program at the 2024 Winter Meetings. (Photo courtesy of Megan Hunt and Stephanie Ku)
At Temple University’s School of Sport, Tourism and Hospitality Management (STHM), students pursue an education to not just enter the global sports industry, but instead, become leaders within it.
It’s clear STHM graduate students Megan Hunt and Stephanie Ku are poised for that path.
Hunt and Ku recently participated in Major League Baseball’s (MLB) “Take the Field” program at MLB’s 2024 Winter Meetings in Dallas. The two-day program is specifically designed for women who are interested in careers within professional baseball, particularly for roles within team’s front offices.
The Application Process
Hosted by MLB’s Department of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, attendees of the program were selected after a thorough application process.
“Once I became aware of the opportunity, I immediately knew I wanted to attend” Ku says.
“The process included filling out a program questionnaire, submitting your resume and answering more detailed questions such as ‘Why do you believe you would be a strong candidate for the program’ and ‘How do you plan to contribute to the professional baseball industry?’”
Gaining An Industry Education
Attended by emerging baseball industry professionals from around the country, the program centered around four main activities: keynote presentations, panel discussions, resume and mock interview workshops and breakout sessions.
“The most valuable part of the entire programing for me were the breakout sessions,” Ku says. “The sessions gave us the unparalleled opportunity to meet with MLB professionals face-to-face which allowed us to truly learn and hear about their career journeys and gain insights into their roles.”
These conversations also helped the pair better understand their potential career trajectories.
“The breakout sessions were so helpful in the sense that it allowed me to better gauge the areas within professional baseball that I would be most interested working in,” Hunt says.
Hunt and Ku are both pursuing their master of science in sports business degrees. (Photo courtesy of Hunt and Ku)
The MLB program allowed students to select and attend which breakout session seemed most appealing to them. Topics of the sessions included baseball analytics, baseball operations, coaching, player development, scouting, umpiring and even replay.
Both Hunt and Ku agree that their participation in the program aligns well with their master of science in sports business education at STHM.
“Attending a program like this really helps us, as graduate students, bridge the gap between theory in the classroom and actual practice within the field,” Ku says. “This event allowed us to make connections with industry professionals from virtually every MLB team and every role imaginable within a baseball organization—that access is invaluable.”
Hunt also thought the event offered unparalleled visibility into the sport.
“The whole experience offered us such an education and insider’s perspective on how a professional baseball organization truly operates on a day-to-day basis and the importance behind each role and responsibility across a variety of club departments,” Hunt says.
“That knowledge will surely benefit me in the classroom and beyond as I consider my path within the sports world.”
MLB Paves the Way
With strong newfound knowledge and industry connections gained, the pair found sound advice for their careers ahead.
“Every baseball industry professional there really showcased the importance for being the most authentic version of yourself, and how that idea will carry you the farthest in the industry,” Ku says. “It’s important to recognize how important your own professional individuality can contribute to traits like reliability, credibility and being an effective communicator.”
Additionally, the two students found the programming also centered on an important call to action: empowering women to work in a male-dominant industry like professional sports.
“It was so motivating and encouraging to see so many female professionals from the baseball industry, some of whom were previous attendees of the ‘Take the Field’ program, speak to the importance of the initiative in helping women build a career in the sport,” Hunt says.
MLB ensured the event created an environment where women could make connections and feel confident about building a future career within the sport.
“A program like this one is especially important because it reminds us that individual abilities are far more important than gender when it pertains to finding success within the sports industry,” Ku says.
Support From STHM
As they consider their experience at Winter Meetings, Hunt and Ku express thanks for their support from STHM.
“STHM does an incredible job at supporting us as graduate students,” Hunt says. “Throughout this entire program process, from applying to actually attending, STHM faculty and staff offered us such encouragement.”
Especially as Ku considers her future, couldn’t agree more.
“Without the support we received from STHM, I don’t think attending this incredible MLB initiative would have been possible,” Ku says. “I left the event feeling very connected to top industry professionals and am truly confident that I am one step closer to achieving my dream of working within MLB.”
(Photo courtesy of Stephanie Ku)