FALL 2021 | 1 COLLEGE OF BUSINESS MAGAZINE INNOVISION FALL '21 ISSUE 30 "DO NOT CHASE A JOB TITLE. CHASE RESPONSIBILITY, EDUCATION, AND RELATIONSHIPS." - MIKE REYNOLDS
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FALL 2021 | 3 14 17 5 6 10 DEAN'S LIST FEATURED SPEAKERS STUDENT & FACULTY SPOTLIGHTS INTRODUCTION EVENTS FOLLOW US: CONTENTS Fall 2021 brought (masked) students back to campus and it has been good to reconnect with many of them in person. While relationships can be developed virtually, nothing matches the connections faculty and students make when they are both physically present in the classroom and/or in a faculty member’s office. Both faculty and students alike are still making use of Zoom as a way to create efficiencies when it comes to setting up meetings, but we are all happy to have the vast majority of our interactions in a non-virtual environment. Our exciting new redesigned MBA program will officially launch in fall of 2022. This program is based on a stackable certificate model and was crafted to break down some disciplinary silos. To earn their degree, students will choose two of the following certificates to complete (each comprised of four courses): Leadership, Business DecisionMaking, and Data Analytics. They will top that off with two other courses: a project-based capstone course and an elective. This model allows students to customize a degree that meets their career goals. Students not interested in a Master’s degree can simply do one of these certificates on a stand-alone basis. Lastly, I want to share another bit of good news - our finance program is now designated a CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) affiliate program. Essentially, this means that students who go through our finance program will be well-prepared to pass the first of the three exams to obtain the CFA credential. This credential is one of the most highly regarded credentials in the field of finance. Congratulations to Dr. John Walker for all the work he did to pave the way to obtain this external validation of the quality of our finance program! LETTER FROM THE DEAN
4 | INNOVISION MAGAZ INE assignments were turned in on time, so that articles could be incorporated into the design layout of the magazine. I could always count on Annie to make sure that I knew what was still needed to complete this project. Kee was a new addition to the student worker team this semester and really showed his skills with creating our cover, as well as posters highlighting College of Business events that occurred this fall semester. It was my pleasure getting to know my team over the past few months and I look forward to what the future semester brings. I hope you enjoy the highlights of the College of Business students, faculty, and alum featured in this magazine. See you in Spring! Katie Bowen, Administrative Assistant OUR TEAM EDITOR KATIE BOWEN DESIGNERS ANNIE KITCHELL KEE CHUL MOSS WRITERS IBETH VILLA-TAMAY GRACE HEINLEIN Annie Kitchell Ibeth Villa-Tamay Grace Heinlein Kee Chul Moss NOTE FROM THE EDITOR Welcome to another edition of InnoVision! Although many of our readers are familiar with this magazine, this was my first time ever working on one. For anyone who doesn’t know, piecing together a magazine is a lot of work! There were plenty of days where I didn’t even know where to start, but luckily, I had a very talented team of student workers by my side. Grace Heinlein and Ibeth Villa-Tamay were an absolute delight to work with. These two ladies have impressive writing skills. I never had to worry about interviews being conducted or articles being turned in late. I could always count on them to complete their assignments with a smile on their face. Having writers on your staff is only going to get you part of the way when designing a magazine. The other part of the team requires skilled graphic designers to put it all together and that’s where Annie Kitchell and Kee Chul Moss come in. Annie is a seasoned team member who has helped with our InnoVision magazine in past semesters. She kept me on my toes with making sure
FALL 2021 | 5 As many people try to adjust to this new normal, the transition back on-campus can be difficult. For many college students, this year is full of new opportunities. Excitement is in the air as they adjust to campus life and reflect on their past experiences. Hunter Pizzo is a sophomore at Kutztown University. Hunter is from Boyertown, PA, and has a strong love for sports. During his time in Boyertown, he played football and baseball, which influenced his decision to pursue a degree in Sport Management. COVID-19 affected many people, and for Hunter, it meant his freshman year was cut short. After two weeks of being on campus, he moved back home for the rest of the year. Now, as he wraps up his fall semester on campus, he is glad to be back. “It’s nice being able to experience college life and see the campus transform as the seasons change.” On-campus life is different for Hunter. At home, he had everything he needed. Now, he has to manage his time more carefully to eat, socialize, study, and attend classes. Despite this, Hunter enjoys walking around campus instead of being rooted to the couch in front of a laptop. Since online classes were not difficult for him, he does not mind switching to an in-person teaching format. The change is difficult, but Hunter was up for the challenge. Since being back on campus, he has adapted to this new environment, something he did not get to do during his freshman year. One thing Hunter hopes changes for the upcoming semester is communication between professors and students. “When the day ends, we are all human. Nobody is above and nobody is lower. We are all equal and are all trying to accomplish the same goal, which is for us students to leave here with a bright future and for the teachers to change a life and give us the opportunity to be successful." Similar to Hunter, Phillip Castrine, a senior at KU who is a double major in Supply Chain Management and Finance, believes time management is more of a necessity when having in-person classes. While he is glad to be back in person, next semester, he will switch back to online classes because he has accepted a full-time job in his field. When reflecting on the transition back on campus, he stated, “the transition to moving back on campus has gone well. I am an active learner, and the in-class participation is unmatchable to Zoom.” BACK ON CAMPUS Phillip Castrine pictured at Old Main Hunter Pizzo pictured in front of campus apartments
6 | INNOVISION MAGAZ INE On Thursday, November 4th Kutztown University’s College of Business hosted its 11th annual Business Idea Competition. This event allows students from all majors the opportunity to submit business proposals for the chance to win cash prizes to help initiate their business ideas. By competition time, six out of the thirteen contestants advanced to the finals. Dean Carroll kicked off the event by introducing the event’s sponsor, Jack Gottlieb ('00) from Total Solutions Group, and his proxy, Anna Blanchette ('20). Ms. Blanchette, a previous graduate of Kutztown University, spoke about her own experience as an entrepreneur to inspire the contestants. The three judges in attendance were John Stetler and John Dever, both from the Small Business Development Center at Kutztown University, and Josh Kovitch, a Program Manager for Southeast PA PTAC. The judges graded each five-minute presentation against three criteria, which were quality of pitch, a compelling and realistic idea, and the overall style of pitch. After each presentation, the judges were allowed to ask one question each to further understand the business idea. All the contestants presented uniquely different ideas. Isaac Reiter was the first to pitch his idea, Up the Sleeve Magic Theater, a company that will help novice magicians get their start, as well as support expert magicians advance their careers through lessons, stage practice, lectures, magic props, and advertisement services. He even did a few magic tricks for the crowd! Next up to present was Matthew Sodano with his idea, Rubber Duckki Filtration Systems. His company would create a pool filter in the shape of a rubber duck that will “swim” around your pool collecting bugs and debris with suction technology. After Matthew, Hunter Davis gave his presentation on Natural Product Analysis, or NPA. This company would provide testing for the potency and purity of hemp products. Abigail Ahrens then pitched her homemade jewelry company, Moon Gaze Jewelry. Her company would use recycled metals, resin, and other materials to make specialized jewelry for the buyer. Philip Jani presented his Real Estate Marketing concept for the judges. His business is a software program that collects information, which then is used to blast targeted contacts. The software analyzes data to see how likely it is that someone will sell their property. Lastly, the only duo in the competition, Maggie Strawoet and Chloe Krempasky presented their idea, KUberr. Their company is a rideshare app specifically targeted for the Kutztown area, so students can get to class easier and to local stores. After deliberating, the judges decided that the thirdplace prize of $750 would go to Matthew Sodano and his business idea, Rubber Duckki Filtration Systems. The second-place prize of $1,000 was awarded to Maggie Strawoet and Chloe Krempasky for their company idea, KUberr. The first-place prize of $1,500 went to Isaac Reiter with his business idea, Up the Sleeve Magic Theater. All the contestants had great pitches, and the judges were eager to work with the students on their businesses after the event was over.
FALL 2021 | 7 Pictured left to right: Isaac Reiter, Maggie Strawoet, Chloe Krempasky, and Matthew Sodano Pictured left to right: Josh Kovitch (Program Manager – Southeast PA PTAC), John Stetler (Director – Small Business Development Center), and John Dever (Business Consultant – Small Business Development Center)
8 | INNOVISION MAGAZ INE PREPARING FOR THE JOB FAIR On September 28th, 2021, Kutztown University’s College of Business Advisory Coucil, in tandem with the Career Development Center, hosted a panel called “Preparing for the Job Fair." The event was hosted by Chad Ganley of the Career Development Center, and there were three panelists from the advisory council: Jenith Jacob, Lee Freeman, and Eileen Kowalski. The purpose was to help Kutztown’s College of Business students make the best impression on future employers. Here are some of the panelists best tips and tricks to succeed at a job fair. Researching potential employers before a job fair is of the upmost importance. First, it allows you to understand what positions and companies you’re interested in. This can make your experience more targeted when you’re at a job fair. Second, this allows you to have talking points when you approach an employer that you want to talk with. Jacob talked about the importance of engaging with the representatives by asking questions specific to their company. This allows the representative to converse with the students about their experiences and gives you a learning opportunity. Lee Freeman also emphasized this and talked about his personal experiences as a representative at job fairs and how the students who were positive and energetic were the ones he remembered, and subsequently hired. Even though impressing the corporate representative is important, Eileen Kowalski added that it’s important to be honest. "If you don’t know the answer to a question you've been asked, don’t pretend to. Let it be another talking point between you and the representative." Every student should have an elevator pitch ready to throw at a potential employer. An elevator pitch is all LEE FREEMAN EILEEN KOWALSKI JENITH JACOB
FALL 2021 | 9 about how you would sell yourself to a prospective employer if you were stuck in an elevator with them for 30 seconds. It might sound old-school, but it is still relevant today. Lee Freeman shared a few of the most important items to include in your pitch. He started with leadership experience, followed by academics, internship/work experience, and finally, personal career goals. He even shared his own elevator pitch as an example for students. Along with the important topics in an elevator speech, he emphasized the importance of rehearsal. You want to be rehearsed enough that the pitch is memorized cleanly, but not so rehearsed that it sounds mechanical. There’s a fine line between the two. For an elevator pitch "start with leadership experience, followed by academics, internship/work experience, and, finally, personal career goals." The last tip was about post job fair etiquette. Some people might say that Thank You notes aren’t necessary, but Eileen Kowalski always recommends them. Not only will it solidify who you are to the potential employer, but it also lets the representatives know that you are grateful for the time they spent talking with you during the fair. She emphasized that it’s important to write each person a different message because potential employers can find out and it looks unprofessional. At the end of the panel discussion, there was a Q&A session where the students in attendance could ask the panelists questions about their work history and experience at job fairs. Events like “Preparing for the Job Fair” allow Kutztown University’s College of Business students to succeed professionally both now and in the future.
10 | INNOVISION MAGAZ INE Cameron Baumgardner Nessa Cartagena Dan Chen See Judith Croteau Alexander Cruz Kassidy Cunningham Strahinja Cvetkovic Kevin Dang Brielle Dean-Johns Aaron Dipaolantonio Steven Doddy Julianna Elsesser Joseph Figueroa Dominick Goncalves Kyle Goodwin Liam Grover Joseph Hamoui Alanis Hernandez Bruce Hidalgo Kayla Holland Abbey James Matthew Johnson Pebbles Ladriye Kaitlyn Lebo Joshua Martin Heather Mastrangelo James Milanek Garrett Quinn Andre Rivera Dylan Rodriguez Berrios Antonio Rossillo Accounting Rania Abdelfatah Jennifer Bjork Ethan Briggs Sebastian Buckley Cassandra Burke Brianna Casuso Ashley Christmann Lyndsay Craig Cameron Delillo Shane Dolon Robert Fassbender Taylor Fronheiser Jessica Hallowell Mackenzie Hammaker Christopher Hammer Breanna Hank Arnulfo Hernandez Amber Hunsinger Tu Bang Huynh Kylaiya Iles Clayton Inderbitzen Makenzie Irelan Ryan Jennings Cassidy Kauffman Malachi Kauffman Shawna Kline Ivana Komlosova Trevor Leverington Aaron Macnamara Ousmane Sacko Joao Pedro Simoes Jake Skrocki Wesley Snider Conor Steward Briana Tannu Zoe Texidor Joseph Thompson Ourania Vardaxis Carl Wallach John Zeich General Business Olivia Becker Caroline Casey Jaden Henninger Logan Iacobelli Mia Kepler Noah Mclaine Michelle Morris Nicholas Shoemaker Lauren Szuter Gina Vergantino Robert Weidler Jason Wolff Jaden Youwakim Human Resource Management Allie Martin Richard Okolovitch Lindsey Perry Zach Peters Ryan Reed Austin Rhoads Noreymi Rivera Camacho Alyssa Romoho Mason Sayre Jonathan Schnitzer Vincent Sciortino Daniel Scott Trevor Smith Kevin Somdat Stephen Sponenburg Paola Texidor Brett Thomas Moises Tlatenchi Ana Torres Kadie Tunkara Sydney Vogt Breanna Wesolowski Annmarie Whalen Entrepreneurship Douglas Fisher Paige Kukowski Finance Jadesola Alatishe Sierra Alcorn Gonzalo Barcelo SPRING 2021
FALL 2021 | 11 Management Adeola Ajayi Emily Avecillas Anthony Balestrini Sarah Baylor Bianca Bissey Tyler Boger Tyler Borg Mia Cabrera Gabriella Canova Katelynn Corrigan Jacob Crawford Andrew Decocinis Carson Dillard Brendan Dunkle Rachel Dusman Eric Ferko Olivia Figueroa Emily Fisher Tyler Foster Kristy Gabriele Gianna Garcia Matthew Garman Roberta Harris Megan Hode Katelyn Kaisinger Keely Katzenstein Coral Licairac Morgan Lilly Joseph Madrak David Manderewicz Ian Messenlehner William Mitchell Ryan Nolan Paul Novak Thorne O'Connell Desiree Pannah Emily Patton Daniel Riina Marketing Brittany Arentz Brydon Barker Josh Benton Ryan Besachio Addison Biello Tracey Bien-Aime Juliana Borisow Erica Bottjer Angela Boyer Tyler Burkholder Melanie Chubb Myah Davies Emily Debus Kimberly Deraney John Fechter Melina Rivera Stephanie Roach Jaclyn Rodick Ramsi Ross Michael Schiano Dicola Kaitlyn Simon Christopher Sliwka Chris Strohmeyer Marisa Tidd Daniel Trimber Skyler Vasiloff Ryan Vause Tyler Whary Macey White Samantha Williams Courtney Zdroik Mckenna Flanary Jolene Harbold Joana Hatzis Ella Holmes Briana Iannelli Kristin Kaleycik Madeleine Lefevre Samia Afrin Maisha Hannah Marx Madina Mavlonova Gracie Mckee Joseph Milici Alisea Munshower Reagan Newswanger Ethan Pitts Connor Redcay Accounting Finance
12 | INNOVISION MAGAZ INE Nahir King Matthew Kline Max Knittle Nicole Leight Daniel Long Cameron Lynch Patrick McCord Kenton Meckley Zachary Miller Gabriel Motter Kyle Musto Noah Pegler Tayane Perry Sydney Pierson Dominic Proietto Miles Rahedi Hannah Ricles Jade Robinson Sage Rowley Makiya Savage Robert Schaeffer Spencer Schumacher Danielle Shadle Seth Shoemaker John Shortino Lorenzo Sigue Davis Stoudt Matilda Sullivan Madeleine Reilly Casey Remolde Makayla Roccia Trenton Rogers Kathryn Sauers Sarah Sekerak Erin Shifflet Luke Sisco Aaron Springer Vanessa Stack-Smith Travis Stroup Alexus Strunk Melissa Taranto Neil Thomas Alexis Verdes Gabrielle Wehr Katelyn Wehr Vadzim Zharnasek Personal Financial Planning Zachary Moretski Erica Oden Kameron Weinberg Sport Management Terrence Amos Kayla Argen Connor Baurys Olivia Blasone Dalton Bohl Jackson Brown Jillian Buchman Connor Caniglia Kevin Cannon Ethan Capozello Jonathan Summers Taylor Szczecina David Wells Robert Winegar Gordon Winicov Annika Wise Emme Wolfel Tory Yost Zara Zerman Zoe Zerman Supply Chain Management Hannah Boggs Zebulon Rineer Nathan Williams Masen Wilson Ekaterina Zolotareva Jake Chronister Darryl Davis-Mcneil GinaMarie Dickson Alyssa Donato Sadie Doss Matthew Dougherty Casandra Eckert Connor Fahie Eleni Feggulis Damon Fives Jazzmyn Foster Hannah Garbowski Sarah Gatehouse Tyler Grabowski Abigail Hearn Jarad Hinkle Ian Hook Zachary Hoover Morgan Hurd Brooke Infurna Morgan Jackard Aaron Jarrett Jerome Kapp Logan Kemp Fiona Kerr Michael Kerr Carissa Kiapes Sport Management
FALL 2021 | 13 EILEEN KOWALSKI Eileen Kowalski is a member of the College of Business Advisory Council at Kutztown University, an organization that is dedicated to creating opportunities to help prepare students for life after college. She is also the Senior Vice President of Training, Quality Control, Recruiting, and Diversity/Inclusion Manager for the Business Credit line of business of PNC Bank NA. But before she was either of these things, she was a graduate of Kutztown University’s College of Business in 1986. Starting as a Computer Science major, Kowalski wasn’t sure it was the right fit. She switched to Business after she realized that, at the time, Computer Science revolved around coding. She took a business class and soon after switched her major to accounting. Kowalski talked about how beneficial an internship would have been for her. Internships are important for hands-on experience that can be applied to future jobs and can help put class material into context. Therefore, if students choose to pursue an MBA, Kowalski recommends taking night classes, so that you can take your lessons into work the next day. She has worked at PNC for 18 years, beginning as a Field Examiner until she moved to her current role several years ago, and the best experiences she has had are from hands-on, interactive moments in her career. But while Eileen Kowalski puts countless hours into her work, she also balances it with her favorite activities, one of which is gardening. Kowalski has grown to love spending time at home after traveling for work and taking care of the plants on her property is a great way to relax. Gardening also teaches patience. Because certain plants won’t yield results for many years after they’re planted, it requires Kowalski to trust the process and her skills, much like she does at work. As a piece of parting advice to the students of Kutztown University, Kowalski asks that they use the Advisory Council and their events as a way to prepare for the future. She says, “I love talking with students to help make their experience at Kutztown better. We have so many resources to help make students ‘ready for work’, and they’re free for all students, not just those in the College of Business.” ADVISORY COUNCIL
14 | INNOVISION MAGAZ INE FEATURED ARJUN ARORA Our Featured Speaker series kicked off in October with Arjun Arora. Arjun is a 2015 alumni and obtained dual degrees in Marketing and Sport Management. During his time at Kutztown University, he participated in the Men’s Tennis Club, Applied Investment Management Program, and the Kutztown University Sport Business Institute (KUSBI). At KUSBI, Arjun would conduct survey research and present his findings at conferences. Originally, Arjun wanted to become a professional tennis player. This was his main goal when he came to the United States; however, his undergraduate studies took him on a different path. After graduating from KU, Arjun spent a year at MSI International, a market research firm. There, Arjun started as a Data Processing Spec Writer, a role that mixed programming and project management. He then moved up to a project management role after 8-9 months of being part of the team. As he developed more skills in this field, his managers encouraged him to pursue a Master's in Data Science. In 2018, Arjun graduated from Drexel University with a Master's in Business Analytics. His experiences at Drexel continued to spark his interest in data science which led to him pursuing a Pre-Sales Data Scientist role at OpenText. Arjun was then promoted to a Senior Data Scientist position after two years. When discussing how he was able to move up in his career, Arjun stated, “If you see an opportunity or if you see a difficulty or challenge, try to identify a solution.” In other words, being proactive can lead to opportunities. In 2021, Arjun joined DataRobot, a leading Alternate Artificial Intelligence company. He currently works there as a Customer Facing Data Scientist. When discussing his position, Arjun stated that his work is a combination of three parts: consulting, data science, and product leadership. His journey in data science has allowed him to work on projects such as predictive maintenance, credit risk scoring, and customer subscription churn. All of these projects involved developing a predictive model to determine key outcomes. Arjun showed his passion for data science by encouraging KU students to develop skills in analytics. He noted that the data science field is diverse and in high demand, which provides many career opportunities. Arjun advised students interested in data science to develop general skills in machine learning, technological skills in data analysis systems, and soft skills. He thanks his education at KU for helping him develop an interest in analytics. Through his projects and internships, he built an interest that led him to the path he is on today. To show his gratitude to KU, Arjun gave a donation which supports a student who works at KUSBI.
FALL 2021 | 15 SPEAKERS MIKE REYNOLDS Mike Reynolds is the President and General Manager of Clipper Magazine Stadium, home of the Lancaster Barnstormers. On October 28th, he visited Kutztown University as a featured speaker to discuss his growth in the sports business industry. Mike shared his experiences and valuable advice to succeed in the industry. In 2003, Mike graduated from Johnson & Wales University with a degree in Business Management. Through his internship experience as an undergraduate, he discovered an interest that led to pursuing a career in the sports business industry. This led to Mike’s first job as a Consumer Sales Representative for Connecticut Sun, a WNBA team. His time there helped him learn to work with groups and business leaders. After four years and five seasons of working for Connecticut Sun, Mike transitioned to a Director of Ticket Sales role for the Houston Comets. His position there was noted as a turning point that influenced his growth. Mike joined the team during a financial crisis and managed to learn from the situation. While most would not take on this position, he preferred to use this experience to strengthen his drive and resilience. A year after working for the Houston Comets, Mike took on a similar role for New York Liberty before he left the sports business industry. He stated that it is hard to get back into this industry; however, he was successful in returning not once, but twice. In 2010, he returned to a role as the Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Reno Bighorns, an NBA G-League. Mike thought he would leave after the team changed ownership, but was offered a higher-up position as Team President, which made him the youngest Team President on the NBA team. Mike left the sports industry a second time in 2013. It was not until 2016 that he returned once again. This time he became the President and General Manager of Clipper Magazine Stadium. At the stadium, Mike and his team test rules for major league baseball. These rules are tested to explore strategies that will garner the most audience engagement. At the start of the pandemic, Mike had the unfortunate task of reducing staff. While they could not hold baseball games, Mike and his team sought to remain engaged with the community. They reached out to hospitals to offer their parking lot as a COVID-19 testing site. All of these actions showed that they “wanted to be part of the community’s success in moving forward.”
16 | INNOVISION MAGAZ INE For Mike, working in the sports business industry requires passion. His job is worth the long hours. Thanks to the position he is in, Mike is able to give back to the community. When reminiscing about his journey, Mike emphasized the importance of internships. “Do anything and everything that they ask you to do to soak up every experience.” An internship is what helped him realize his goals and it reminded him that everyone starts out somewhere. As an intern, Mike was tasked with picking up trash, and has continued to do this even in his role as President. A successful career in the sports business industry starts from the bottom. Mike stated, “Do not chase a job title. Chase responsibility, education, and relationships.” The job title should not be the main priority. Taking on experiences and building on them is what will ensure growth in the industry. Mike is in the position today thanks to building, initiating, and maintaining relationships. 1866 CHALLENGE AIM reached 11 donors for a team total of $2,865. The team was also awarded $250 from the Dollars from the Last Decade challenge, $250 from the Zoom Workshop challenge, $21 from Crunch Time challenge and a $1,000 match from a generous donor, for a Team Grand Total of $4,386. The Department of Sport Management and Leadership reached 33 donors and raised $2,837! This team was also awarded a $100 match from the Faculty/Staff challenge, and $52 from the Coffee Hour challenge, for a Team Grand Total of $2,994. The Accounting Club reached 19 donors and raised $1,995! This team was also awarded a $250 match from Dollars from the Last Decade challenge for a Team Grand Total of $2,245! The Accounting Club and Department of Sport Management were new to the challenge this year and did a stellar job of communicating with their alumni. All teams were active participants throughout preparations for the challenge and during the 1866 minutes of giving. Congratulations to the College of Business for having a successful fundraising event.
FALL 2021 | 17 STUDENT SPOTLIGHT JAZZMYN FOSTER Jazzmyn Foster is a Kutztown University senior set to graduate in Fall 2022 with a degree in Sport Management. She is a student and an athlete, but she’s not on any of the sports teams at Kutztown. Jazzmyn is an accomplished inline skater that went to Worlds this past November in Ibague, Columbia. The Inline Skating World Championships 2021 gathered the best skaters in the world to compete in Columbia. Despite having to find a balance between school and skating, Jazzmyn works hard to reach her dreams. Jazzmyn started skating when she was a child with the influence of both her parents and her brother, who are also involved in Inline Skating. They left the decision to participate in the sport up to her, but she ultimately decided that she was interested. She fell in love with the sport and continued with it until college. She took a step back her freshman year, but right before the pandemic, she connected with a new coach that helped renew her love for the sport. When Jazzmyn first came to Kutztown University, she enrolled as a biology major. She didn’t realize that she was meant to study Sport Management until her First Year Seminar professor, Dr. Lottes, talked about the major in her class. Jazzmyn realized that this major would allow her to connect to her sport long after she has finished competing. She wants to use her degree to coach future skaters. Between school and skating, Jazzmyn has a lot to juggle, but there are a few things that ground her. Before a competition, Jazzmyn always seeks out music. When she’s on a team, they all listen to music together, dance, and stretch before the race. When she’s trying to relax after a big test or stressful day of classes, Jazzmyn turns to playing her guitar. As another way to distress, Jazzmyn edits video footage from her races into videos. It allows her to focus on something that isn’t skating directly, but that is still related to the sport she loves. While at Worlds, Jazzmyn competed almost every day. She competed in the 200-meter time trail, 500 meters + D (distance), the 3K relay, 100 meter drag race and the 1 lap. In each race, she placed somewhere in the middle, but her highest rank was 14th in both the 500 meters +D and the 100-meter drag race. Though her team didn’t make the final relay, they all worked hard to place in a competition with the world’s best skaters. Even though this was Jazzmyn’s 4th World Competition, it still felt like a new experience. There was more pressure for Jazzmyn because she “was the top sprinter for the Senior ladies” on her team. But even though she was under a lot of pressure, she still had fun. One of her favorite moments was when she had two races on the same day. Jazzmyn was worried because of all the waiting between races she had to do, because the anticipation can be worse than the actual race, but she mentioned that she “stayed calm, recovered as quick as I could after each race and ran my hardest in each race.” Jazzmyn is back at school now, which is an adjustment all its own. She must return to focusing on school and finishing all the work that she’s missed. After she graduates, Jazzmyn wants to move to Utah to focus on participating in the 2026 Winter Olympics.
18 | INNOVISION MAGAZ INE GRADUATE SPOTLIGHT ERIC NICKEL Eric Nickel is a Kutztown University alumnus who graduated in December 2020 with a degree in Sport Management. Currently, he is a student athlete in the Master of Business Administration (MBA) program at KU. While working on his MBA, he also works as a Graduate Assistant in the Office of Conference and Events Services. There are many sides to Eric from a graduate student, to a worker, and an athlete. Despite all these roles, Eric has pushed himself to achieve his goals. Off the field, he strives to complete his studies. Through his time as an undergraduate and graduate student, Eric created lasting connections. Eric stated, “connections do not end when people graduate.” He reflected on how these connections provide a network for the future. A future that he hopes will lead him into the business side of sports. Despite his clear path for the future, Eric was not always sure of what he wanted. One thing he was certain of was that he enjoyed playing football, which led to him accepting a recruitment offer from KU. He is grateful he attended KU, since he became part of a community that radiates a “home-type atmosphere.” Eric started off his freshman year in the College of Business and chose to become a Sport Management major after learning about the program through his teammates. His classes within the program suited his interest and helped to shape a clear path for his future. One class in particular, Sport Marketing, resonated with him since his professor focused on the business marketing aspect more than the sports approach. This was a nice change from his other sport management courses. He enjoyed his time in this class since it helped him reconnect with the business side of the program and set him up to pursue an MBA. Eric and his teammates play an active role in supporting the local community. His team is dedicated to participating in community service events such as the Homecoming Clean-Up, where they pick up trash to ensure Kutztown stays clean. His team also participates in the Bone Marrow Drive. When asked about advice he would give to students, he stated, “one way to ensure you succeed is by going to class.” He stressed the importance of this since it sets students up for success. Going to class will help them stay on task and not fall behind. He also advised that you build connections with your professors and utilize different study areas. Having a designated study area helped Eric stay on track in his classes. For Eric, COVID-19 impacted his internship plans and cut his time on the football field. Despite these hardships, he was not dissuaded from pursuing his MBA. He is more than happy to be back on campus as he continues working on his career. "One way to ensure you succeed is by going to class." He stressed the importance of this since it sets students up for success.
FALL 2021 | 19 ALMUNI SPOTLIGHT HANNAHMARTIN Hannah Martin is a 2014 Kutztown University alumna. She obtained a bachelor’s degree in leisure and sports studies, a major now known as sport management. From a young age, Hannah played many sports, so her choice of major was no surprise. During her time at KU, she was one of the first members of Kutztown University Sport Business Institute (KUSBI). She recalls her time at KUSBI as a moment that helped her grow and learn. Hannah stated, “KUSBI set the tone for my work ethic.” Apart from KUSBI, she was also involved in sports. Finding the right balance between academics and sports was challenging, but she did it. Through holding herself accountable for her own success, she pushed herself to graduate in three years instead of four. After graduating from KU, Hannah went on to pursue a master's in sport management from West Virginia University. Through the program, she interned with the Asheville Tourists and was offered a position. From intern to sales associate, and then director of ticket operations, Hannah spent the last six years moving up in this company. She was promoted to Assistant General Manager in October. In her current position, her days vary depending on the seasons. During in-season, she oversees the box office and guest services, but during the off-season, she is creating seat maps and utilizing the skills she learned from her sales associate position. For students looking for job opportunities in the sport management field, Hannah suggested pursuing sales positions. Students interested in the field become comfortable with not only selling items, but also with marketing themselves to future employers. When asked what advice she would give to students, Hannah said “students should push themselves out of their comfort zone.” Doing this is an investment in professional growth since it opens doors for different opportunities. Originally, Hannah was not interested in sales; however, she took on this role when becoming a Sales Associate with Asheville Tourists. While there are dream jobs out there, sometimes taking on a different role offers an opportunity for growth. If Hannah had turned away the opportunity with Asheville Tourists, she would not have gained the experiences she has today.
20 | INNOVISION MAGAZ INE FACULTY SPOTLIGHT DR. SAEHWA HONG Dr. Saehwa Hong is a professor at Kutztown University and is in his fourth year of teaching. His undergraduate degree is in general management. When he went to get his master’s degree, he specifically chose to study International Management. This focuses on the international aspects of business. Dr. Hong received his PhD from SUNY Buffalo. He spent six years getting a PhD. He stated, “It takes a long time to get one! I came up with the idea for my dissertation alone, and then developed it by talking with my advisor.” During his PhD program, he conducted research on how firms could become multinational firms and gain a competitive advantage. His research has been related to innovating the field of Strategic Management. There are two elements: Explored and Exploited. Exploration is the creation of a totally new product. Exploitation has to do with efficiency and how to reduce the production cost of said product. The innovation and Dr. Hong’s theory is that the firm should take both steps at the same time. Currently, exploration and exploitation are currently being done separately. It’s a difficult issue to handle because it is usually a trade off between the two. Before the product is created, the company should allocate time and funds to prepare the Operations and Management Department and the Research and Development (R&D) Department to run at the same time. This is the first step in achieving a new tactic. There are some industries that would benefit most from this new approach to Strategic Management. One of the factors that comes into consideration is the entry barrier for each industry. For example, there are industries, like the automotive industry, that are dominated by big names that don’t leave room for venture firms to get funding for new projects. The fields that will benefit most are the more fluid industries, like gaming or art. While he loves his research, Dr. Hong also loves teaching. Sharing his love for business with his students makes teaching not only his job, but also his hobby. His advisors throughout his various degree programs were vital for obtaining focus and inspiration. Dr. Hong likes to be the sounding board for his students the way his advisors were for him. But the content can be difficult, so to help them understand, he uses one of his favorite pastimes. When Dr. Hong isn’t working, he loves watching baseball. Cheering on the Red Sox is one way that Dr. Hong likes to de-stress. He knows that “not a lot of people here like them, but I’m a big fan." Watching baseball isn’t just a hobby for Dr. Hong, it’s also a teaching tool in his classroom. For students to understand the course material, he puts it into context of a baseball team being run like a business. The players represent employees, and the coaches represent the managers. At the end of his fourth year in the College of Business, Dr. Hong is grateful to have the opportunity to teach and conduct research at Kutztown University. He looks forward to next semester and teaching future entrepreneurs.
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