Name: Gianna Thaxton
Major: Sport and recreation management
Hometown: Phoenixville, PA
It didn’t take long for her to decide that Temple University’s School of Sport, Tourism and Hospitality (STHM) was the perfect place for her to do it.
“I remember leaving ‘Experience Temple Day’ with my mom and already knowing that STHM was the place for me,” Thaxton said.
“There was such a tangible feeling of energy and excitement, and that they had an intimate community that wanted you to find success in the classroom and translate it into pursuing your dream job within the sport industry.”
As Thaxton recounts her four-year tenure at STHM ahead of her graduation, she’s successfully transformed classroom excellence, community involvement, professional development and sport industry engagement to now be positioned for immediate impact in the field.
From Phoenixville, PA, Thaxton was first driven to pursue a career in the sport industry through growing up in a passionate sport household. She realized first-hand how much impact teams have on individuals and the communities around them.
“I’ve always enjoyed sports, but I’ve been especially fascinated by how dedicated and how much fans love their favorite sports teams,” Thaxton said.
“And the reason why, at its core, is because of the experience people have when cheering on their favorite team.
“I love that experience, and I am pursuing a career that will allow me to help bring and enhance the memories that fans build for themselves and amongst their favorite team’s communities.”
With these reasons in mind, Thaxton is motivated to start her path in industry within the area of ticket sales. She says being the one selling and enhancing the fan experience and serving as the professionals behind the scenes helping fans experience those unforgettable moments as very appealing.
Not only did her STHM experience give her the classroom knowledge to pursue this line of work (she says her favorite class was sports sales and fundraising with professor Rick Ridall), but STHM also ensured she had the experiential education opportunities in the field.
“Through industry connections that STHM helped me foster, I was able to obtain some incredible intern and working positions during my undergraduate experience that will suit me when I enter the industry,” Thaxton said.
“In addition to interning with New Balance in Boston, I interned with the Philadelphia Flyers and worked jobs with the Philadelphia Eagles as a premium sales and service associate and with the Philadelphia Wings as an account executive.”
And while these opportunities allowed her to experience momentous sports moments first-hand (like the Eagles clinching the 2025 NFC championship to advance to the Super Bowl at Lincoln Financial Field), they also gave her unparalleled insights into what she hopes is an impactful future in the industry.
As she prepares to begin her first professional role beyond graduation, an inside sales representative with the Brooklyn Nets of the National Basketball Association (NBA), she’ll always be proud to know STHM helped her get there.
“This school has remarkable connections with industry professionals, decision makers within sport organizations and teams,” Thaxton said. “They hold these relationships while also providing students with an intimate, tight-knit and supportive community that makes you proud to be there and represent them beyond your graduation.
“If a student wants to work within the sport industry, STHM is exactly where they need to be—it’s just that simple.”