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Laurentian Students Travel to Germany, Shine in Capstone Project with adidas

Laurentian Students Travel to Germany, Shine in Capstone Project with adidas

Consulting projects on international scale provide students with memorable experiences.

December 20, 2024 - Fourth-year Sports Administration (SPAD) students have capped off their academic journey with an international consulting project for adidas, the world-renowned sports apparel company. This capstone experience is part of the program’s commitment to preparing graduates for global success through work-integrated learning, industry connections, and hands-on experiences. 

Throughout their final semester, SPAD students collaborate with a sport-related company to apply the business acumen and expertise they have acquired throughout their time in the program. The semester culminates in a group trip to the company’s headquarters to present their findings. This year’s cohort of SPAD graduates worked with adidas on a project that required extensive research, strategic planning, and creative problem-solving. They traveled to Germany, where they presented their recommendations to adidas executives, including Darby Rieve, SPAD graduate from 2014.

“This opportunity embodies everything we strive for in SPAD,” said Dr. Anthony Church Director of the School of Sports Administration. “Our students not only gained real consulting experience but also demonstrated their readiness to excel on an international stage. The feedback from adidas was overwhelmingly positive, and it’s a testament to the hard work of our students and the dedication of our faculty.”

For Callum Belshaw, a graduating SPAD student, the experience was transformative. “This project pushed us to think critically, collaborate effectively, and present confidently,” said Belshaw, who completed his internship with Perfect Game. “Being able to pitch our ideas directly to adidas executives in Germany was surreal—it felt like everything we’ve learned came together perfectly in that moment.”

Gabriella Moggy, another SPAD student who will intern with the Ottawa Senators and graduate this academic year, shared a similar sentiment. “I thought that traveling to Germany and presenting to adidas executives was going to be overwhelming—and being in a room with such incredible international experts was unlike anything I’d experienced before,” said Moggy. “But thanks to the preparation and support we’ve had throughout our program, our group was completely in our element. We were ready to present, answer tough questions, and take on any feedback. I’m looking forward to carrying this momentum into my career.”

SPAD students graduate with an Honours Bachelor of Commerce in Sports Administration, a program that uniquely combines business and sports management education. Students gain foundational business administration knowledge that prepares them for diverse career paths, whether in the sports industry or beyond. 

The program’s structured progression of experiential learning—from shadowing sales executives to managing events and internships—ensures students are ready to impress partners like adidas by the time they reach the capstone experience.

Laurentian alumni play a vital role in the continued success of the program, including this year’s capstone experience. Donations from SPAD graduates helped support the students’ international travel. SPAD alumni are employed by companies like adidas both domestically and abroad, highlighting the employability of SPAD graduates with Fortune 500 companies.

Laurentian University’s SPAD program continues to offer students classroom learning integrated with practical applications, preparing graduates to thrive in competitive global markets.

Dr. Church emphasized the program’s ongoing commitment to fostering international experiences. “Every SPAD graduate leaves with an international experience that sets them apart. This project is just one example of how our alumni network, faculty, and industry connections come together to create something truly special for our students.”

Laurentian Students Runners-up at National Sports Forum Competition

Laurentian Students Runners-up at National Sports Forum Competition

Students exceed expectations with impressive finish

November 12, 2024 - A team of Sport Administration (SPAD) students from Laurentian University has bested many large US-based universities at the NSF Challenge Cup, a prestigious global consulting competition. The team, composed of third-year students Adam Mutuchky, Carson Harvey, Jordan Willmott, Cooper Fontaine, and Ben Fowke (alternate), represented Laurentian University as the only Canadian participants among 11 teams from around the world.

Dr. Anthony Church’s Events and Facilities class, where students participated in a mini case competition, was the catalyst that set a Laurentian team up for the competition. The winning team earned the opportunity to advance to the NSF Challenge Cup, where they were tasked with providing solutions to a real-world problem presented by the United States Fencing Association, aimed at increasing membership.

“We’ve all known each other through our program, and that familiarity helped us leverage each other’s strengths. Everyone played a vital role, and we worked tirelessly to present our best ideas,” shared Adam Mutuchky, the team captain.

The competition, which took place over a two-week span from October 4 to 23, 2024, was conducted virtually, requiring intense collaboration despite geographical distances. Jordan Willmot, who is currently interning with the Ottawa Senators, emphasized the commitment and collaboration it took. “The others were together for hours on end working on this and even working remotely, I did everything I could to contribute. We left nothing on the table; we gave it 110%.”

After a rigorous week of preparation, the team presented their solutions in the first round with hopes of continuing to the second and final round. The first round provided critical feedback and they were selected as the winning team to move forward out of their flight of four teams. That feedback shaped their strategy for the second presentation, which included a panel of expert judges, including the CEO of USA Fencing.

“We weren't sure how we stacked up after the first round because we didn’t get the chance to see what the competition was putting forward,” Carson noted, reflecting on their performance. “We only knew what we had done and based on that, we felt confident. It felt great moving on to the second round and even though we came up short, we’re proud of what we produced.”

The team ultimately were runners-up to Australia’s Deakin University. The students say their main takeaway has been understanding the value of working to each team member's strengths and fully appreciating opportunities. “It’s not lost on us how pivotal this learning experience was, whether we won or not,” said Cooper. “It was a great experience to showcase our work to such impressive industry leaders.”

Dr. Church commended their efforts and the importance of such competitions. “Competitions like the NSF Challenge Cup not only challenge students to apply their knowledge but also strengthen their ability to work as a team and think critically under pressure,” he said. “Regardless of the outcome, every participant grows from the experience. The entire SPAD School is incredibly proud of the hard work and dedication displayed by these students.”

Looking ahead, the team is eager to continue building on their experience. Adam expressed enthusiasm for future opportunities, “We’ve grown stronger as a team, we hope to mentor and encourage future Laurentian students to participate in future NSF Challenge Cup competitions.”

As the students continue with their studies, they say there is a lot to look forward to in their program. They are planning for future placements within the sports industry and thinking about their fourth-year consulting trip (which will see SPAD students visiting Germany later this semester). The students remain committed to pursuing their professional development in the sports industry, taking with them valuable lessons learned from this competition.

The team’s final presentation can be viewed on YouTube.