Katie Thompson 2010

After completing my Masters in Sport Management in the Spring of 2010, I accepted a position with the University of Maryland Athletics. I work for the Athletic Marketing department for the Terps where I oversee women’s soccer and men’s lacrosse. My responsibilities for these sports include completing a comprehensive marketing plan, intergrading grass roots marketing in regards to increasing both student attendance as well as group sales, game day duties which include the completing of scripts, timing sheets, music and announcer operations and overseeing game day interns.  I also assist with sales and game day activities for football and men and women’s basketball. Our department also oversees the NCAA home rounds including the National Championship which was held by Field Hockey, the eventual champions. My game day duties for football include executing sponsorship hospitalities prior to home football games. This consists of ordering food and rentals as well as assisting with the day’s events with major sponsors such as Capital One and Under Armour.  While we each have our respective sports, it is truly a team setting where we all help with one each other’s sports in some fashion or another.  Go Terps!

Dan Wyar 2010

At the end of August 2010 I become assistant director of media relations for athletics at Elon University in Elon, N.C. I handle women’s basketball, women’s soccer, men’s and women’s cross country and softball. On game days, our office is responsible for maintaining the press area and ensuring all media members in attendance have everything they need and facilitating interview requests with our student-athletes and coaches.  We also compile all statistics during events. Since I arrived here, I have been responsible for designing all of our game day programs for football and women’s basketball, the 2010-11 women’s basketball schedule poster, and the 2010-11 women’s basketball viewbook.

I am extremely appreciative of everyone I met along the way at Eastern Michigan, especially the people I worked closely with for two years in the athletic department. Without the guidance of Jim Streeter, who is a great mentor and simply the best at what he does. I don’t think I would be where I am today. The sport management program at EMU was a great experience and prepared me for a career in intercollegiate athletics. Dr. Riemer knows how to get the most out of her students and prepare them with the necessary tools to become a successful professional in every avenue of working in sports.

Alison Stier 2008

Alison is a graduate of Eastern Michigan University with a Masters in Sports Management. She has a Bachelors of Science in Public Relations with a minor in Marketing. While perusing her degrees she also played 4 years on the Varsity Women's Soccer team for Eastern.

Alison is the Director of Events and Operations for National Pastime Sports.  Alison has a wealth of experience and an impressive background in sports.  She joins NPS as aDirector of Events handling day to day responsibilities at the many shows NPS produces. Alison will also take on the role as an account manager for various clients such as DC United, Washington Capitals, Chicago Blackhawks and Cleveland Indians. Alison has been the event manager for two NCAA Final Four shows and has had hands on internship experience with the Detroit Pistons, Detroit Shock and the Detroit Ignition Professional Indoor soccer team.

Sarah VanMetre 2008

Since graduating from Eastern Michigan University for the second time, this time with my master's degreee in sport mangement, I now have a full-time position in the University of Michigan Athletic Department. After completing my two year graduate assistant position at EMU, I took an internship position at U-M because I wanted to be at a bigger school. It was hard being at the bottom of the totem pole for another year, but I ended up being in the right place at the right time and was hired on full-time in July of 2010. I now handle volleyball, women's tennis and women's track at U-M from a media relations standpoint and could not be happier. Getting to cover volleyball this year was a huge step up for me from a work standpoint, and I continue to learn new things every day. My self-confidence in my profession is so much higher than it used to be and I cannot wait to keep moving up the ladder.

Lisa Donaldson 2007

Lisa graduated and worked as an assistant compliance director at Coastal Carolina. She was soon promoted to Director of Compliance. Lisa currently is the Compliance Coordinator at Ball State University.

Dan Murphy  2007

Dan graduated and worked at Coastal Carolina University as an athletic media relations assistant, during the 2007-08 season. I served as the primary media relations contact for the men's soccer, men's cross country, men's track & field, women's tennis and softball programs, while assisting with football and basketball.  Dan decided to leave collegiate sport and will spend the 2008 season as a public relations intern for the Cleveland Browns. Dan helps to produce weekly game notes, handle media requests for player interviews and transcribe daily press conferences with head coach Romeo Crennel. He also works with the Cleveland Gladiators (Arena Football League) as a game day statistics assistant at Quicken Loans Arena.

Darnell Talbert 2007

Darnell is the Director of CHAMPS/Life Skills for the University of Texas at El Paso. Darnell gained experience with the CHAMPS/Life Skills program at both the University of Michigan and at Eastern Michigan University while he was a student. For his internship, Darnell created the framework for the new EMU Life Skills program for Intercollegiate Athletics.

Josh Burgett 2006

Josh Burgett is the Director of Corporate Partnerships at the Michigan International Speedway. While at Eastern Michigan University, Josh was involved with corporate partnerships, marketing, and promotions for the athletic department.