ACADEMICS Andrew credits his success to the support he received from the sport management department, particularly from Dr. Yongjae Kim and Dr. Soojin Kim, who encouraged him to join the NCSSC. He also praises Professor Cebula for showing him how to network. “Her classes showed me everything I needed to be successful.” He is also thankful for courses like sport marketing, where he learned about planning and research. Andrew is also a sport management student ambassador, where he volunteers to talk with prospective students about the sport management program, the COB, and talks about his experience at KU. “It boosts my public speaking skills and helps me think on the fly.” LOOKING AHEAD After graduation, Andrew has accepted a sales role with the New Jersey Devils. In the future, he sees himself in management or a leadership role. Andrew is appreciative of all the opportunities KU has given him. “You never know what one thing will lead to.” Andrew has always been interested in sports, and when he came to KU, he saw an opportunity to merge his passion into a career. As he entered his senior year, Andrew was looking for more opportunities to get involved in the sport management industry, and when he learned about the National Collegiate Sport Sales Competition (NCSSC), he knew it would be a great chance to put himself out there. “This was my best experience at KU, and I’m so glad I put myself out there.” NATIONAL COLLEGIATE SPORT SALES COMPETITION In January 2025, Andrew competed in the Ticket Sales Division of the NCSSC, ranking 9th in the first round and 17th in the championship round. The NCSSC is a role-playing competition where sport management college students compete against each other to sell hypothetical ticket packages. Held at the Atlanta Hawks State Farm Arena in Georgia, the final rounds of the competition allowed Andrew to pitch his sales proposal to a buyer and a judge. After his pitch, Andrew received feedback on the competition. “It was some of the first sales experience I’ve gotten, and I got to test my skills and give a pitch.” Before the final rounds, Andrew met each week with the team’s faculty advisor, Dr. Kim, to practice and get feedback on the sales pitch. ANDREW MANN SPRING 2025 | 17
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