Three Westminster College students had the opportunity to participate, network and compete in the Sport Entertainment and Venues Tomorrow (SEVT) conference at the University of South Carolina in Columbia, S.C., during the fall semester.

Senior Gia Francsico of Canfield, Ohio, junior Kimberly Cora of Wexford, Pa., and sophomore Kathryn Rose Rankin of Sewickley, Pa., were all able to network with sport and entertainment industry leaders, students and educators from across the country during the conference while also competing in a case study competition. They were accompanied by Martha McGrath-Brown, instructor of sports management and a member of Westminster’s School of Business.

“I am incredibly proud of these ladies for their representation of the School of Business at this conference and case study competition. It shows me how seriously they are taking their future in sports as the networking they do and relationships they build in spaces like this will help them immensely as they enter the industry,” she said.

Networking during the conference led to a professional opportunity for one student.

“The Hurricane Junior Golf Tour booth caught my attention. Having competed with them for years before starting my college career, I took the chance to pitch myself to their owner,” said Rankin, a sophomore creative media production major and member of Westminster’s women’s golf team.

“After I shared my journey at Westminster College and my growth as a creator, he presented me with an invitation to fly to Orlando, Fla., and run social media for their Junior Tour Championship weekend in December,” said Rankin. “None of this would have been possible if I hadn’t been chosen to represent Westminster at the conference.”

The conference also provided an important introduction that led Francisco to a decision about her academic future.

“These types of trips emphasize the importance of learning outside the classroom and initiating your network early during your four years at Westminster,” said Francisco, a business administration, professional sales and marketing and sports management triple major. “This trip was truly a pivotal moment in my college career, as I now plan to attend the University of South Carolina’s Master of Sports and Entertainment Management (MSEM) program after getting the chance to talk with the head of the MSEM program at this conference.”

In addition to networking, Cora—an early education and sports management double major—said she also appreciated the opportunity to hone some of her soft skills.

“We also learned how to overcome public speaking challenges as we continue going to conferences and participating in case studies,” she said.

Travel to the conference was funded by Westminster’s Drinko Center for Undergraduate Research.

For more information about the conference, contact McGrath-Brown at mcgratmc@westminster.edu.

Learn more about Westminster’s sports management program here.

Pictured above from left, Kathryn Rose Rankin, Kimberly Cora and Gia Francisco.

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