When Joseph Dick (BSM \u201921, MA \u201924) first stepped on campus in 2017, it wasn\u2019t the fresh start he imagined.<\/p>\n
While he enjoyed his studies, he struggled to find his feet socially.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat was a very dark year for me,\u201d he said. \u201cBut I loved what I was studying, and that\u2019s what kept me going.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fast forward to Friday, Oct. 18, and Dick received a Master of Arts in Applied Health Sciences\u00a0with a specialization in Sport Management during Brock\u2019s 116th Convocation. He graduated with a Bachelor of\u00a0Sport Management\u00a0in 2021.<\/p>\n
The milestone moment is a testament to his perseverance and a reflection of how his time at Brock transformed his life in more ways than one, from igniting a passion for research to rekindling his love of running.<\/p>\n
After skipping his first year on the Brock cross country team, Dick was unsure whether he would return to running. A well-timed email from then-coach Emily Allan in the summer after his first year changed that.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat email got me running again,\u201d Dick said.<\/p>\n
He made the team in his second year and soon found a sense of belonging on the team that was pivotal to his personal growth.<\/p>\n
He credits teammate Jacques Tiessen and coach Kevin Moore for pushing him beyond his comfort zone.<\/p>\n
\u201cJacques really showed me what it meant to dedicate myself to the sport, and Kevin was instrumental in my development both as a runner and a person,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, including a heartbreaking performance at the Ontario University Athletics Cross Country Championships that forced him to re-evaluate his approach to competition, Dick continued to push forward.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat moment taught me to focus less on not messing up and more on what I truly value,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
His academic journey was notably shaped by Associate Professor of Sport Management Craig Hyatt, whose fourth-year course on consumer ignited Dick\u2019s passion for research.<\/p>\n
\u201cI took the challenge of his class, known as one of the hardest in the program, and it set me on the path toward a master\u2019s degree,\u201d Dick said.<\/p>\n
The course provided him with a new lens through which to understand sport and its impact on fans.<\/p>\n
Dick\u2019s master\u2019s research focused on how sport fandom can be seen as a pseudo-religious phenomenon, a perspective he believes can help sport marketers better understand and segment their audiences.<\/p>\n
His work with the Niagara River Lions during the summer of 2023, where he provided the team with strategic marketing recommendations aimed at deepening fan loyalty, exemplifies his practical approach to research.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was all about finding those points of attachment that fans rated most strongly and using them to build stronger identification with the team,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Dick, who is considering pursuing a PhD and possibly coaching cross-country in the future, is keen to integrate the lessons he\u2019s learned from both research and running.<\/p>\n
Looking back on his time at Brock, he is grateful for the transformative role the University has played in his life.<\/p>\n
\u201cBrock has given me so much more than just a degree,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s shaped who I am and how I approach life. I\u2019ve grown as a student, an athlete and a person.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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