I’m a Tarheel born; I’m a Tarheel bred… so how did I end up at Duke? I knew I wanted to stay in North Carolina when I decided to go back to school for my MBA, so, of course, I applied to UNC and Duke.
While I knew I wanted to get an MBA, I wasn’t sure exactly which industry or function I wanted to pivot into. I just knew I didn’t want to work for a bank anymore, and I was not interested in going into consulting or investment banking.
Initially, UNC had the upper hand. I was a business major in undergrad, so I knew the buildings, the professors, and how to get the best tickets to the basketball games. However, once I started attending admitted students’ events and learning more about each business school, I realized that Fuqua might actually be the better option for me. I felt that it had much better infrastructure in place for students who weren’t interested in recruiting in the traditional paths. At Fuqua, I would have the support no matter which career path I took.
Fall in business school is all about recruiting, and I was just beginning to explore different fields. My first foray into pursuing a career in the Media, Entertainment, and Sports (MES) sector was during the Week in Cities trip over Fall break. Various professional clubs host a week-long trip to different cities, during which students can visit potential employers.
I thought MES’s trip to New York City aligned most with my interests. Who wouldn’t want to visit a Nike or Major League Soccer office? (You can read more details about the companies we visited in James’ blog post.)
This trip was transformational, as it not only gave me amazing connections in the industry — many of whom were Fuqua alumni — but also helped me start to envision a clear career path for myself in sports.
Me (left) and Elise Romola during Week in Cities at the NBA office smiling in the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy
After returning from New York, I had a plan: I was going to recruit for sports. But I didn’t have any sports experience on my resume… and at this point, I didn’t have any other direction besides just sports.
Even as someone with a deep-seated dislike for Duke athletics, I know I am lucky to be at a school with a renowned athletics department. At Fuqua, there’s also an opportunity for select students to serve as Duke Athletics Fellows (DAF), a mentored study program that provides experience working in sports. There are several verticals within DAF, including finance, NIL (name, image, and likeness), women’s basketball, and more.
I am working with a fellow Section 5-er on the data analytics vertical. We work closely with the men’s lacrosse team to analyze data from their games and practices in Catapult, a performance analytics tool. This year-long project has been helpful in establishing connections with a team, using my data analytics skills in a sports environment, and learning more about a sport I previously knew little about.
While Fuqua does provide some structured opportunities for those recruiting for MES, including having a dedicated career coach in the Career Management Center (CMC), it still requires a custom job search. This means that the MBA-to-employer pipeline is different, with many of the companies (or teams/leagues) being smaller, less likely to come to campus to recruit, and there isn’t a long list of previous MBA intern hires (yet). I had to take the initiative for my recruiting journey, and that played out in a few different ways.
Being a former UNC and current Duke student has its perks: double the network to reach out to — but the duke.edu email does scare people at first. (I’ve never slid into so many LinkedIn DMs!) It’s also been nice to lean on my classmates with strong connections to the industry (shout-out Zach Levinthal). A warm introduction is always helpful in getting an initial response.
The MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference (SSAC) is another opportunity that I decided to take advantage of as a student. SSAC is open to everyone, not just students, but the student discount makes it more feasible.
While Fuqua has plenty of amazing student-led treks available during Spring Break, I decided to use this time to help further my career. Not only did I connect with Fuqua alums in person and listen to excellent panels on current and upcoming industry trends, but I also got to shake Megan Rapinoe’s hand. (As a soccer player growing up, this was a ‘pinch-me’ moment.)
I’m so glad I attended the conference because I’ve finally finalized the specific function I’m recruiting for: partnership marketing.
Me (left) and Megan Rapinoe at the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference after her panel on youth sports
My journey isn’t close to done, but I do feel like my path ahead is clearer. I’ll be spending my summer as a partnership activation intern with The Soccer Tournament and the NC Courage, two local NC opportunities.
I’m also excited to help other students on their MES journey as co-president of the MES club for 2026-2027. Valeria Gavidia and I are looking forward to making the process less ambiguous by implementing industry educational content, creating a comprehensive alumni network, and working cross-functionally with other Fuqua clubs. I can’t wait to connect with future students who may find themselves in my position: unsure of what’s next but ready to explore.
Finally, go Heels — I mean, Fuqua!
Me (right) and my fellow MES co-president, Valeria Gavidia, with the Duke women’s basketball team’s regular season and ACC championship trophies
The post Pursuing a Sports Career: My Journey From UNC to Duke appeared first on Duke Daytime MBA Student Blog.
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While I knew I wanted to get an MBA, I wasn’t sure exactly which industry or function I wanted to pivot into. I just knew I didn’t want to work for a bank anymore, and I was not interested in going into consulting or investment banking.
Initially, UNC had the upper hand. I was a business major in undergrad, so I knew the buildings, the professors, and how to get the best tickets to the basketball games. However, once I started attending admitted students’ events and learning more about each business school, I realized that Fuqua might actually be the better option for me. I felt that it had much better infrastructure in place for students who weren’t interested in recruiting in the traditional paths. At Fuqua, I would have the support no matter which career path I took.
Exploring a Career in Sports
Fall in business school is all about recruiting, and I was just beginning to explore different fields. My first foray into pursuing a career in the Media, Entertainment, and Sports (MES) sector was during the Week in Cities trip over Fall break. Various professional clubs host a week-long trip to different cities, during which students can visit potential employers.
I thought MES’s trip to New York City aligned most with my interests. Who wouldn’t want to visit a Nike or Major League Soccer office? (You can read more details about the companies we visited in James’ blog post.)
This trip was transformational, as it not only gave me amazing connections in the industry — many of whom were Fuqua alumni — but also helped me start to envision a clear career path for myself in sports.
Me (left) and Elise Romola during Week in Cities at the NBA office smiling in the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy
Gaining Hands-On Experience
After returning from New York, I had a plan: I was going to recruit for sports. But I didn’t have any sports experience on my resume… and at this point, I didn’t have any other direction besides just sports.
Even as someone with a deep-seated dislike for Duke athletics, I know I am lucky to be at a school with a renowned athletics department. At Fuqua, there’s also an opportunity for select students to serve as Duke Athletics Fellows (DAF), a mentored study program that provides experience working in sports. There are several verticals within DAF, including finance, NIL (name, image, and likeness), women’s basketball, and more.
I am working with a fellow Section 5-er on the data analytics vertical. We work closely with the men’s lacrosse team to analyze data from their games and practices in Catapult, a performance analytics tool. This year-long project has been helpful in establishing connections with a team, using my data analytics skills in a sports environment, and learning more about a sport I previously knew little about.
Creating My Own Opportunities
While Fuqua does provide some structured opportunities for those recruiting for MES, including having a dedicated career coach in the Career Management Center (CMC), it still requires a custom job search. This means that the MBA-to-employer pipeline is different, with many of the companies (or teams/leagues) being smaller, less likely to come to campus to recruit, and there isn’t a long list of previous MBA intern hires (yet). I had to take the initiative for my recruiting journey, and that played out in a few different ways.
1. Networking
Being a former UNC and current Duke student has its perks: double the network to reach out to — but the duke.edu email does scare people at first. (I’ve never slid into so many LinkedIn DMs!) It’s also been nice to lean on my classmates with strong connections to the industry (shout-out Zach Levinthal). A warm introduction is always helpful in getting an initial response.
2. Attending Industry Events
The MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference (SSAC) is another opportunity that I decided to take advantage of as a student. SSAC is open to everyone, not just students, but the student discount makes it more feasible.
While Fuqua has plenty of amazing student-led treks available during Spring Break, I decided to use this time to help further my career. Not only did I connect with Fuqua alums in person and listen to excellent panels on current and upcoming industry trends, but I also got to shake Megan Rapinoe’s hand. (As a soccer player growing up, this was a ‘pinch-me’ moment.)
I’m so glad I attended the conference because I’ve finally finalized the specific function I’m recruiting for: partnership marketing.
Me (left) and Megan Rapinoe at the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference after her panel on youth sports
My Next Steps
My journey isn’t close to done, but I do feel like my path ahead is clearer. I’ll be spending my summer as a partnership activation intern with The Soccer Tournament and the NC Courage, two local NC opportunities.
I’m also excited to help other students on their MES journey as co-president of the MES club for 2026-2027. Valeria Gavidia and I are looking forward to making the process less ambiguous by implementing industry educational content, creating a comprehensive alumni network, and working cross-functionally with other Fuqua clubs. I can’t wait to connect with future students who may find themselves in my position: unsure of what’s next but ready to explore.
Finally, go Heels — I mean, Fuqua!
Me (right) and my fellow MES co-president, Valeria Gavidia, with the Duke women’s basketball team’s regular season and ACC championship trophies
The post Pursuing a Sports Career: My Journey From UNC to Duke appeared first on Duke Daytime MBA Student Blog.
More...
How does this impact your International MBA decision?
I'd be glad to learn your thoughts on this story : Pursuing a Sports Career: My Journey From UNC to Duke