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.
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