Mercedes Marlok

The Sports Administration (SPAD) program here at Laurentian University has provided a positive and significant impact on my life in all aspects. The experiential learning and networking opportunities available are unlike any others. These experiences help us grow our soft skills and apply the core business principles we’re taught while working with industry professionals who provide career-changing advice. The small class size environment is a game changer as it allows for students who share a similar passion to connect with one another and create lifelong bonds, while also working closely with, and learning from, industry-connected and research-focused professors.

During my time in this program, I was a member and president of the SPAD student council and ran their social media accounts, organized events such as the SPAD hockey tournament and the SPAD alumni-student golf tournament, and volunteered for the SPAD 50th anniversary celebrations. I’ve also had so many opportunities to volunteer with local sports organizations, such as the Sudbury Wolves Sports & Entertainment on game days, which led to a marketing and communications internship with them. I was then hired as their community liaison for the summer, and eventually the game day coordinator once the hockey season started.

Thanks to the experiences I’ve gained and the network I’ve built over the last four years, I’ve been able to secure an internship with the UFC in Las Vegas. But, before I do that, my colleagues and I are taking part in the capstone sport industry consulting course all SPAD students do. Each of our groups has been paired with a sports organization in L.A. and we are researching a business problem they have assigned us. Our whole class will then fly down to L.A. to present our recommendations to these organizations, meet with sports executives, tour state-of-the-art facilities, and set ourselves up for our careers.