Elon alumna Jackie Sapio ’10, coordinator of community initiatives for the Philadelphia Phillies, provided a keynote address at the awards ceremony, highlighting her professional path and sharing words of wisdom with the soon-to-be graduates.
Presented in conjunction with the student-run Sport Management Club, the annual event kicked off with a dinner followed by a guest lecture from Elon alumna Jackie Sapio ’10, coordinator of community initiatives for the Philadelphia Phillies.
Banquet photos are available on the School of Communications Flickr page.
In her role, Sapio is involved in various outreach and fan development initiatives, including the management of the Phillies Fan Club. Prior to her current position, she was a member of the advertising sales department, where she focused on corporate partnership activation. She began her career with the Phillies as an intern in the community outreach department.
The self-described planner discussed how difficult it was not to have a position lined up after graduation, or the subsequent time before she landed her first post-grad internship in November.
The following 25 months were also uneasy because while she loved working for the MLB franchise, it took her two-plus years to secure a full-time position with the organization.
Nonetheless, the southern New Jersey native cherished working for her hometown team.
“Being at the field for opening day – especially your first time – is something I won’t forget,” she said. “This was the team I grew up cheering for.”
Having moved departments and positions a few times, Sapio said she enjoys being back in community initiatives, where she started. “It’s a special thing to be involved with a program that can reach so many people,” she said.
She shared several pieces of advice with the departing seniors, charging them to continue to learn and surround themselves with good people. Sapio harped on the importance of relationship building “because digital connections are not enough,” she said.
She added, “Don’t get discouraged. No career path is a straight line.”
Sapio also pointed one advantage they have moving forward. “Elon has more than prepared you for the next step,” she reasoned.
Matt Cotton ’18 also received the James P. Drummond Service Award, named in honor of the founding department chair of Leisure and Sport Management (later renamed Sport Management). Associate Professor Tony Weaver initially introduced the service award, but the department chair noted that student Ryan Spaulding ’18 requested the honor of presenting Cotton with the accolade.
Following the department awards, Associate Professor Hal Walker also offered a few words recognizing outgoing Communications Dean Paul Parsons, who was in attendance.
Walker commended Parsons for his “humble, professional and steady hand” while helping guide the school and the department, noting that Parsons “epitomizes what we would all want in a leader.”
“You would be lucky to have a boss and leader like Dr. Parsons,” Walker told the aspiring professionals in the audience.
The executive board members of the Sport Management Club were also recognized at the ceremony. These board members included Spaulding (president), Hannah Olson ’18 (vice president), Clay Bruning ’18 (treasurer), Ben Bean ’18 and Kara Shutt ’18 (co-marketing chairs), Megan Podgorski ’18 (social media chair) and Carrigan Bain ’19 (membership chair). The student organization is advised by Assistant Professor Shaina Dabbs.
Bean and Olivia Wamelink ’18 served the event’s emcees.
The banquet concluded with a five-minute video by Jenny Berman ’18 and Maddie Yih ’18, who also organized the event.
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Hal Walker
Associate Professor of Sport Management
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Mark Cryan
Assistant Professor of Sport Management
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Paul Parsons
Professor of Journalism
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Shaina Dabbs
Associate Professor of Sport Management and Chair of the Department of Sport Management
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Tony Weaver
Associate Dean, School of Communications and Professor of Sport Management