As many colleges face enrollment challenges, BGSU is utilizing events like Sports Industry Day to help students explore opportunities that can boost their confidence in their career paths.
Sports Industry Day is an event designed for students to learn more about the academic pathways offered at BGSU, specialized student organizations and internship opportunities within the sports industry.
The event highlights majors such as sports management, media production, journalism and business, showing students how they can make their way toward a career in the sports industry at BGSU.
Students had the opportunity to attend a variety of breakout sessions led by experts, learning about the different academic pathways offered at BGSU. Additionally, they had the chance to take a tour of the Kuhlin Center and Maurer Center, or participate in a general campus tour.
Erin Heilmeier, the assistant vice president and director of admissions at BGSU, said this was BGSU’s first year hosting the event, and the turnout exceeded expectations.
“The goal for this event was 50 registrants,” Heilmeier said. “We had 72 registrants, and 65 showed up; it was a 90% show rate.”
BGSU has experienced an increase in enrollment, with numbers increasing every year since the fall of 2022. Heilmeier says Sports Industry Day was used to highlight majors that align with student interests.
“The Office of Admissions plans its fall and spring visits based on a number of factors, including student interest and academic enrollment goals,” she said. “We have seen an increase in students interested in working in sports and wanted to host an event to highlight the many academic majors at BGSU that can lead to a career in the industry.”
Heilmeier says BGSU plans to host the event again next year, validating that students can earn degrees related to sports.
“Sport Industry Day, in particular, helped prospective students and their families understand all the opportunities that can come from working in sports, which is a quickly growing industry,” she said. “It reaffirms that students can be gainfully employed when they graduate.”
