Articles by author: Sarah (Xiaoxia) Tan

  • Selena Racco – Exit Blog, Marketing, Communications, and Event Assistant

    Friday, April 21, 2023 | By

    Saying goodbye is never easy, but I hope that this exit blog will serve as a meaningful tribute to the impact that The Centre for Sport Capcity has had on my personal and professional development. This year I was lucky enough to have had the opportunity to work at the Centre for Sport Capacity as a marketing, events and communications assistant (Intern). As my time as an intern comes to a close, I can’t help but feel grateful for the opportunities and experiences that this role has provided me with. Working in this position at the CSC has allowed me to gain valuable skills, network with industry professionals, and contribute to exciting events and projects.

    Over the past 8 months, I have been able to learn so much about the sports industry, including the challenges and opportunities it presents. The guidance and support provided by the team have been invaluable in helping me develop my skills and knowledge. I have had the privilege of working on a variety of tasks and projects, from coordinating social media campaigns to designing promotional material to support upcoming events. I was given freedom over the work and content that I created, which allowed me to gain confidence and experience within my desired field and expand my network.

    One of the highlights of my time in this role was being part of The 2022 Niagara Active Economy Summit (AE). During this event, I had the opportunity to work on the creative designs for the invitations and the information package. This project allowed me to gain many valuable skills including design, communication, and project management. I worked closely with my supervisor and other team members to understand the goals and messaging of the event. I was able to use The AE Summits brand identity for the creative designs, including choosing the appropriate colors, fonts and imagery that would appeal to the target market and convey the event’s message. This project allowed me to gain valuable experience in working collaboratively, incorporating feedback, and altering my designs to align with the event’s objectives.

    Working on the creative designs for the invitations and information package provided me with a range of valuable skills that could be applied to future projects. I have gained experience in design using Adobe Illustrator and Canva, communication, and project management, and had the satisfaction of seeing my designs come to life and contribute to the success of the event.

    Another aspect of this role that I appreciated was designing engaging and eye-catching posts for the CSC’s LinkedIn and Twitter. This provided me with valuable experience in social media marketing, graphic design, communication, and collaboration. My favourite design has been Member Monday’s and it has been a rewarding aspect of my role that helped to enhance the CSC’s online presence and reach.

    As I move on from this role and transition to the next stage of my career, I will carry the lessons and experiences I have gained during my time as an event, marketing and communications assistant. I am grateful for the support and guidance of my colleagues, the opportunity provided to me by Julie Stevens, and the chance to contribute to some exciting initiatives in the sport industry.

     

    Categories: Blog, Students

  • Sarah (Xiaoxia) Tan – Exit Blog, Marketing, Communications, and Event Coordinator

    Friday, April 21, 2023 | By

    Prior to my involvement with the CSC, I never would have imagined that I could achieve things such as:

    – Giving a public presentation to a group of 70 audience members

    – Collaborating with government and local sport clubs to host events

    – Designing an organizational e-magazine

    – Managing professional social media accounts

    – Executing marketing strategies for initiatives and programs

    – Producing an organizational branding video

    However, my experience at the CSC has been nothing short of paradise, offering me opportunities to explore areas of interest while providing the autonomy to develop skills aligned with my position.

    During my internship, my tasks revolved around administration, marketing, communications, and event planning. In addition to regular duties such as responding to emails and attending meetings, I was keen to improve the CSC website and social media platforms. Recently, I successfully revamped the website using WordPress, a tool I had only learned two months prior. Through user-centered design principles, I introduced new elements such as a Twitter timeline, event videos, and an e-magazine, improving both the look and functionality of the website.

    Video editing was another skill I acquired at the CSC, using tools such as iMovie, Canva, and CapCut to create engaging content. My first video project was for the LEAD LIKE A GIRL – Women in Sport Leadership Panel, which received positive feedback from viewers and inspired me to produce a branding video for the CSC. The branding video I designed is aimed to showcase the centre’s core values and brand story to the target audience.

    One of my current projects is creating marketing strategies for the upcoming Team Building on the Water program. This involves generating eye-catching promotional content for social media and the website based on market analysis and research. With the program launch around the corner, I look forward to seeing the positive impact it will have on the community and local businesses.

    Working as part of a talented team at the CSC allowed me to accomplish tasks in collaboration with other teammates based on their specialties and interests, resulting in successful social media promotion campaigns, including the 72’ Hockey Summit Series promotional videos, CSC’s Member Monday posts, and educational infographics to feature experts’ research. I am excited to see and welcome new teammates to join, with all the ongoing projects and awesome ideas, it will be another fantastic year for the CSC.

    Although my internship at the CSC is not yet over, I already miss the time spent here. The knowledge and experience I gained during this educational learning experience have greatly contributed to my personal and professional development. Choosing the CSC for my internship was an excellent decision, and I would do it again without hesitation.

    What are you waiting for? Let’s have some fun.

     

    Categories: Blog, Students

  • Sarah (Xiaoxia) Tan – Entry Blog, Marketing, Communications, and Event Coordinator

    Tuesday, January 31, 2023 | By

    In my first year at Brock University, I hesitated about my future career while taking economics and labour relation courses. Soon after I learned about sport management through my classmates, I knew this is what I wanted to study for the rest of my time at university. 

    My name is Sarah Tan, and I am from Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. Transferring from economics to sport management is one of the best decisions I have made because the knowledge and skills I gained in the past four years allowed me to see things with a different perspective. Also, it led me to where I am today as the Marketing, Communication and Event Coordinator Intern at the Centre for Sport Capacity (CSC). I am very excited about this role as it is a great opportunity to earn workplace experience before I graduate in sport management this upcoming spring 2023. If you are still in school, or building your resume for job hunting, you may find some useful tips here! 

    The experiences from my past role as a part-time marketing and event planning assistant at an international high school expanded my understanding of culturally appropriate marketing and helped me create the school’s brochures. I also went on a business trip with the vice-principal of the school to facilitate the establishment of a student exchange program in Bogota, Colombia. Later, I created promotional contents that drove interaction on social media for the high school by applying the knowledge I have gained from my history of art courses. By planning and supporting major events during my previous employment, such as convocation, musical night, and a Christmas party, I acquired practical knowledge and skills that will help me in my new role at the CSC. 

    I was thrilled to learn about this opportunity when I saw the hiring post on Brock Career Zone as I took part in designing an e-magazine last year for the CSC and felt a strong connection to the organization. Brock University’s industry-leading expertise in sport management has prepared me well for this role. For example, I applied the theories, business knowledge, and analysis skills that I learned in entrepreneurship course, to my marketing projects, and they were very helpful. I also worked on a magazine design project with a team of 33 people in SPMA 3P05. At the end, I had a good practice with digital design and communication skills. 

    The CSC hosts various events, such as workshops, forums, webinars, in partnership with sport clubs, businesses, and organizations throughout the region. My goals of this internship are learning the ability to evaluate information and use rational reasoning to analyze problems, apply knowledge, make decisions, reflect on, and overcome problems. Also, there are two important technical skills on my list that I want to learn at the CSC, WordPress, a website management system, and video editing. The ability to manage content (e.g., fixing errors, scheduling, updating), adapt messages to the audience based on context and culture, and create persuasive contents will be an asset for my future career in any industry, especially in marketing. 

    It is only my second week at the CSC, and I have already been involved in many exciting projects. One is the Club Development Workshop Series, which was a discussion about gender inclusivity in sport and recreation. For our upcoming events, I am working with the CSC team on promoting the LEAD LIKE A GIRL Women in Sport Leadership Career Panel on February 10th. I am also working on Team Building on the Water which is a corporate training initiative in which we partner with a local canoe club to help build a business model and generate revenue. Thus, identifying problems and creatively translating ideas into solutions through experimental investigation and using information from a variety of sources will be one of my challenges encountered in this role. 

    There are many more exciting events and projects to come, and I cannot wait to take part in them! The CSC is a perfect workplace for a senior student in sport management/ business communication/community recreation/media & communication, etc., who aims for a role in areas such as event, marketing, communication, or business development in an established sport organization in their future career. I believe the accomplishment of the internship at the CSC will offer me valuable field experience that provides guidance and support for my academic and career endeavors. It is a must-have opportunity for students to build their professional and personal development, and there is a caring director, Dr. Julie Stevens, who will guide you step by step into the business workplace in sport. I cannot wait to practice my skills and experiences in marketing, event planning, and customer relations and contribute to the CSC’s mission and development. 

     

    Categories: Blog, Students