The Elizabethtown College Career Development Center recently hosted the inaugural Careers in Sports Symposium, which featured live virtual presentations by a wide range of professionals. The presenters included many Etown alumni, who hold a variety of careers and leadership roles in the sports industry. Through this experience, students gained valuable insight into how they can translate a passion for sports into successful and fulfilling careers.

Nate Smeltz ’00 speaks with Etown students during a Careers in Communications & Marketing session.

Director of the Career Development Center Jane Nini said the symposium was a great opportunity for students from a variety of academic backgrounds to learn about opportunities for occupations in sports in their respective fields.

“Elizabethtown College has always had a strong athletics program and a strong interest in sports among our students,” Nini said. “We are also extremely fortunate to have quite a number of successful alumni in the sports industry who are dedicated to sharing their stories and expertise with students. The Career in Sports Symposium enabled our students to see the wide variety of career options that may relate to their interests and enables them to make connections and learn more about how they can prepare for their careers.”

Students were able to choose from a variety of presentations to attend during the three-day-long symposium.

Careers in Health & Wellness:

  • Lindsay Nelson ’10 – Business Development Manager, Theory of Me/Health Joy
  • Stephanie Arnold LAT, ATC – Athletic Trainer, Elizabethtown Area High School and Penn State Health
  • Stephanie Fleck ’06 – Owner, Flecks Fitness
  • Nick Fuller – Owner and Cognitive Performance Coach/Sports Psychologist, The Tactical Mind, LLC

Careers in Communications & Marketing:

  • Mike Holdren ’91 – Director, Season Ticket Services, Philadelphia Phillies
  • Matt Burdette ’03 – Sr. Lead Account Management, Under Armour
  • Nate Smeltz ’00 – Senior Vice President, Global Communications, Warner Bros. Discovery Sports Dan Connolly ’91 – Senior Baseball Writer, The Athletic
  • Kevin Cawley ’02 – TV Director, Fox News Media

Careers in Marketing and Operations:

  • Ashleigh Aungst ’09 – President, A2B Strategies, LLC
  • Ben Houser ’97 – VP and Executive Producer, World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (WWE)
  • Brian Sipe ’05 – General Manager, Central Bank Center/Rupp Arena/Opera House
  • Tyler Warner ’15 – Manager, Media & Brand Marketing, FOX Sports

Careers in Sports for STEM Majors:

  • Michael Twist ’17 – Owner, Mosaic Sports and Public Announcer, Ocean Breeze Track & Athletic Association
  • Margo Donlin ’19 – Biomechanical Engineering Ph.D. Student, University of Delaware
  • Rachel Odrosky – Esports Director, Emerald Esports

Careers in Coaching:

  • Bob Schlosser – Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach, Penn State Harrisburg
  • Ron Rankin – Defensive Coordinator, Fairmont State University Football