Students

  • Jonathan Pinnington – Entry Blog, Marketing, Communications, and Event Coordinator

    Friday, September 15, 2023 | By

    From a very young age, I knew I wanted to work in sport. Participating in various youth community sports such as hockey, soccer, and baseball was beneficial in me gaining a passion for sports and the sport industry. In addition, it has also helped me see the many values and benefits that sport brings to both an individual and a community. This is why interning at the Centre for Sport Capacity was a must for me!

    Hi, my name is Jonathan Pinnington, and I am from Toronto, Ontario. I am a fourth-year student at Brock University studying Sport Management. This fall of 2023, I am fortunate to have the opportunity to intern with the Centre for Sport Capacity at Brock University, in the Marketing, Communications, and Event Intern position. If there is one thing to know about me, it is that I am an avid sports fan. I love all sports, but hockey is by far my favourite (being a die-hard Leafs and Penguins fan). During my time at Brock, I have been fortunate enough to continue playing sports, participating in various intramural teams. My most notable-non-academic achievement is being a member of Brock’s Men’s Ultimate Frisbee Team, for which I am currently serving as the team President. As an outgoing and creative individual, I am excited to bring these two traits to the Centre and continue to develop both personally and professionally.

    Entering my fourth and final year, I had heard about the opportunity to acquire an internship through many of my professors. After expressing interest in acquiring an internship, I was directed to Brock CareerZone and began looking. I recognized the Centre for Sport Capacity immediately after having its Director, Dr. Julie Stevens, as a professor in my third year Sport Management Field Work course. I was intrigued about the Marketing, Communications, and Event Intern position as I have always enjoyed those three areas. Specifically, the creative aspect behind them. The idea of being able to use my creativity in those areas was very enticing, so I applied and was granted an interview.

    As already indicated, I am very outgoing and creative and am excited to bring these two traits to the Centre. I am especially excited to get to work with and get to know my fellow colleagues, while continuing to learn more about the Centre and the work they do in various areas of sport. Now in my fourth year, I have realized that I really enjoy marketing and brand management. Specifically, putting my own creative touch on an existing brand or creating and developing my own brand. Honestly, I really like just being able to unleash my creativity on projects. One thing that I was really impressed about from my interview was Dr. Stevens and the Centre Coordinator Grace Nelson’s commitment to tailor the internship to my learning style and strengths. I am a very hands-on learner and like to be able to get my hands dirty and immerse myself in whatever I do. After a few days here, Grace and Dr, Stevens have definitely followed through on their actions! I have been able to explore the Centre’s LinkedIn and Instagram accounts while also getting to experiment with the different design features on Canva and WordPress. I find their commitment and ambition to their colleagues and interns is crucial to personal and professional development as well as experiential education. These are two things Dr. Stevens is very passionate about and likes to incorporate in every setting. I speak from experience having her as a professor. That’s why, after completing my first week here, I knew the Centre was the right choice for me.

    The biggest thing I want to accomplish at the Centre is to build, grow, and expand the Centre’s brand. I feel that I can accomplish this by using the many lessons and skills I have learned from my past experiences. One past experience that I feel will help me accomplish my goal is my time as the Social Media Coordinator for Brock’s Women’s Basketball team in my third year Sport Management Field Work Course. In that role, I gained experience in social media management (running the team’s Instagram account) and digital editing softwares (e.g., Boxout Sports to create game day graphics). Both skills are easily transferable to my position here at the Centre as I will be managing the Centre’s social media accounts and creating professional content with Canva. One thing I want to accomplish is becoming proficient with social media management and using digital editing softwares, such as exploring and playing around with different designs, features, fonts, etc. on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Canva. Another area I hope to become more proficient in is communication, explicitly learning how to communicate effectively in a professional workplace setting and in meetings. I feel that working alongside my colleagues here at the Centre as well as with other Centre members and partners on various events, initiatives, and workshops will help me accomplish this goal. Personally leading meetings, new initiatives, and workshops will also be beneficial in strengthening my communication skills. The last area I hope to strengthen is decision-making. Throughout my time at Brock, I have always been hesitant about making decisions on projects, most notably decisions about micro details, such as fonts, design style, and other elements. During my short time here, I have already needed to make decisions on various projects, and I already feel I am becoming more confident in making those decisions. I hope that by working alongside my peers, I continue to gain more confidence.

    Overall, I feel I can be a force for good within the Centre by bringing my extroverted personality, enthusiasm, and creativity to the workplace each day. I feel that the lessons I have learned both in class and in life, as well as my enthusiasm for sport will help to both improve the Centre’s output and offer new perspectives and insights on projects and events. Moreover, I feel that I can use my creativity skills on various projects such as planning events like the Safe Sport Forum and Unleash Your Influence Webinar and posting on social media to further grow and expand the Centre’s brand. I hope to continue to learn as much as I can and continue to develop both personally and professionally.

    Categories: Students

  • Adam Green – Exit Blog, Marketing, Communications, and Event Coordinator

    Friday, August 11, 2023 | By

    I entered this internship three months ago hoping to learn new skills and develop as a student and a professional. I am now grateful to state that the Centre for Sport Capacity (CSC) has exceeded my hopes and allowed me to expand my knowledge in various operational areas.  

    Hi, my name is Adam Green, and I am going into the fourth year of my Sport Management degree at Brock University. During the Summer 2023 term, I served as the Marketing, Communications, and Event Coordinator (Intern) for the CSC. It is difficult to narrow down what I learned during this experience as the CSC provides such a wide range of developmental opportunities. For the time being, I can outline my development in the three main pillars of the internship. 

    To start, my marketing skills have improved significantly throughout my experience at the CSC. I took on the role of maintaining and enhancing the visual brand of the Centre through the creation of designs for its social media. I was able to effectively promote the services that the CSC provides as well as expand its reach through creative visuals and strategic copywriting. I am especially proud of launching the CSC’s official Instagram account. This was such a valuable experience managing an entire launch and execution of a professional organization’s social media platform. These are the types of experiences that are hard to come by in an internship, making the CSC so unique in its developmental opportunities.  

    Additionally, being an Intern at the CSC has helped me to refine my communication skills. Through daily interactions with my team, in-person meetings with our members and industry professionals, and networking at events in the community, I was able to consistently practice my oral communication. One of my favourite experiences at the CSC was leading our Smart Start activation booth. During this activation, I was able to practice my oral communication when pitching the value of the Centre to incoming Brock students. Developing my written communication skills was also a learning objective of mine interning for the CSC. Thankfully, I was able to craft emails, social media captions, reports, blog posts, and more during my time with the Centre which did wonders in improving my professional written language. 

    The Centre for Sport Capacity also supported my progress in event management. I had the opportunity to build the CSC’s Safe Sport hybrid forum from the ground up. I gained experience in event research, goal setting, target audience analysis, budget creation, risk assessments, engagement strategies, and overall event planning. On top of this, managing the planning of an event allowed me to reach out and make a variety of connections. I was responsible for initiating discussions with expert consultants, speakers, professors, and AV employees, whose insight will all play a role in the success of this event. The CSC Safe Sport forum is happening on November 17th at Brock University, I am excited to see it come to fruition. 

    Overall, the knowledge and experience I have gained at the Centre for Sport Capacity will last me a lifetime. I would like to thank Dr. Julie Stevens, the Director of the CSC, and Grace Nelson, the Coordinator of the CSC for all their support in my learning experience. Throughout my internship this summer, I have helped the Centre grow as it has helped me grow, and I will always be grateful for this. 

    Categories: Students

  • Cameron Hubscher – Exit Blog, Marketing, Communications, and Event Coordinator

    Friday, August 11, 2023 | By

    Just three months ago, I began my internship as the ‘Marketing, Communications, and Event’ Intern at the Centre for Sport Capacity. Now that it is coming to an end, I can take a birds-eye view of what I’ve done at the CSC, and the lasting impact the Centre will have on my career. 

    Firstly, I would like to thank Dr. Julie Stevens, Director of the CSC, and Grace Nelson, Coordinator at the CSC, for granting me this opportunity. From the first time I met them during the interview process to my last day at the Centre, I have been treated exceptionally well. They have granted me every opportunity to succeed and grow. If you are a student interested in gaining experiential education, the Centre for Sport Capacity is an organization that offers so many amazing opportunities.  

    Throughout my time at the Centre for Sport Capacity, I was constantly given opportunities to develop skills that I already considered my strengths while being supported in areas that I wanted to develop. From a day-to-day perspective, my tasks revolved around content creation for the CSC’s Twitter and LinkedIn accounts, responding to emails, attending meetings, and collaborating with the rest of the CSC team on supporting our members. This allowed me to develop skills surrounding copy writing, social media and web design, and the management of social media accounts across multiple platforms. I was also granted the opportunity to attend four events: Parasport Ontario’s Niagara Parasport Festival, Niagara Geoparks’ Niagara Trail Summit, Sport Niagara’s Launch Event, and Brock University’s SMART START activation for incoming students. Being a part of these events as well as numerous meetings allowed me to develop my networking skills.  

    My main task throughout the duration of my internship at the Centre was to reimagine their social media, website, experiential education, and events analytic databases. The CSC collects a lot of data in order to engage their target audience, enhance social media and website performance, and analyze the Centre’s growth. I was in charge of finding ways to collect data in an efficient and sustainable manner. This meant developing Excel databases that could be replicated for future semesters while connecting them to the CSC’s Master files. To accomplish this, I utilized a number of different Excel formulas that count, sum, average, and sort the range of different metrics the CSC collects. With formulas that are linked to various different sheets and other files through the CSC database, retrieving analytics from semester-to-semester and over the course of a year is an effortless process.  

    While being in charge of the CSC’s data management, I was tasked with defining the terminology of the databases, gathering key metrics and comparing analytic performance across the Centre’s social media, website, experiential education, and event analytics. This resulted in the production of a number of internal reports used to showcase the growth of the CSC to the Faculty of Applied Health Sciences. Due to the statistical evidence of growth within the Centre, the CSC was able to acquire operational support until the end of 2024. Seeing the results of my work at the Centre was a major source of gratification. It also reinforced my commitment to leave the CSC with a method of sustainability for their data collection.  

    One of the projects that I am most proud of is my legacy piece. This document is a culmination of all the terminology that makes up the databases, the process of data management at the CSC, visuals, and external resources. Within these topics are the definitions of each term in the databases and their application for the Centre, data collection methods, and the steps to add data into the Semesterly and Master CSC files. Future interns will be able to search through and reference this document when participating in the data collection process. As a legacy piece, I am happy to know that my work will be supporting the Centre long after my time has passed.  

    As I conclude my internship at the Centre for Sport Capacity, I feel that my professionalism, technical skills revolving around social media and Excel, as well as my ability to translate and mobilize knowledge can be considered assets going forward in my Sport Management undergraduate degree, and beyond. While I will continue my professional development beyond time at the Centre for Sport Capacity, the foundation the Centre has given me for my career in sport is something I will never forget. Leaving filled with pride knowing that my impact on the Centre will go beyond my internship, I am excited to see what’s to come for the CSC!  

    Categories: Students

  • Adam Green – Entry Blog, Marketing, Communications, and Event Coordinator

    Thursday, May 11, 2023 | By

    My involvement in sport since an early age has profoundly impacted my physical and mental health as well as helped to build my core values. This is the reason I want to pursue a career in sport, to give back what it provided me to others in the community. Having said this, what better way to get involved in the sport community than to work for the Centre for Sport Capacity? 

    Hi, my name is Adam Green, and I am from Oakville, Ontario. I am going into my fourth year as an Honours Bachelor of Sport Management student at Brock University. This summer of 2023, I will have the opportunity to intern for the Centre for Sport Capacity in the Marketing, Communications, and Event Coordinator position. I am excited to work with the CSC team in these upcoming months and develop as a student and a professional. 

    I found this position while scrolling through internships on Brock CareerZone. I remember immediately stopping as I recognized the CSC brand from a few events I had seen on social media. The position description intrigued me as I had prior experience in event management, marketing, and communication-driven positions. I also noticed it was an excellent opportunity to develop a variety of skills. After a great first impression of the organization, I began researching the Centre for Sport Capacity, and it was only then that I knew where I wanted to intern. Looking through the CSC website gave me a great idea of the variety of services and programs we provide within the sport community as well as the numerous events we host and support. Examples of events that intrigued me were the Promotion of Safe Sport in Canada forum and the Commonwealth Games Queen’s Baton Relay. The CSC portrayed an organization committed to developing its interns and the sport community, which connected with my own values and vision. 

    So, I applied right away and am fortunate to now be writing my entry blog. I am very enthusiastic as I start my position at the CSC and begin to meet the team and settle into my new working environment. The two aspects that excite me the most about my internship are working to help improve and develop upcoming CSC events such as the Safe Sport Forum and marketing our brand on social media. Throughout my coursework at Brock, I have noticed that I gravitate toward event management and marketing. This could be due to my natural creativity, leadership, and communication skills which I can apply to my upcoming projects at the CSC. 

    Even though I find myself enjoying certain areas more than others, I am still unsure what I want to specialize in within the sport industry. Thankfully, this internship position offers numerous paths for me to explore and develop my skills. That is what makes this CSC internship unique, it will give me experience in a diverse set of operational areas which will help me to understand what career best suits my strengths. While keeping an open mind, I am hoping to learn and accomplish upcoming projects through the planning and management of events, the navigation of digital content creation, and the development of my verbal and written communication. I am also excited to step outside my comfort zone and learn about areas such as data analytics, who knows, I might enjoy it!  

    Overall, it is hard to narrow down what I hope to learn and achieve as this experience offers such a wide range of development opportunities. For now, I will try to soak it all in and bring what I currently possess to the team. I can deliver effective leadership skills through past supervisory volunteer positions for the Niagara 2022 Canada Summer Games, I can utilize my event management and marketing skills through contributions to the various events and promotions of the Brock Sport & Business Association, and I have built strong communication skills from many team-oriented environments. I look forward to applying my strengths in this position, but more importantly to developing my weaknesses, and learning new skills.  

     

    Categories: Students

  • Cameron Hubscher – Entry Blog, Marketing, Communications, and Event Coordinator

    Thursday, May 11, 2023 | By

    Whenever someone has asked me what I want to do in life, my answer has always been to be involved in sport. Being immersed in sport is where I find myself most comfortable, while also feeling the most motivated to create positive lasting change. Now, the Centre for Sport Capacity will be providing me with the opportunity to get real experience working in sport. 

    My name is Cameron Hubscher. I am a Sport Management Student at Brock University, graduating in the Spring of 2024. My favourite sports are hockey and tennis. I am from Montreal, Quebec, so naturally I am a fan of the Montreal Canadiens. Some of my areas of interest are Sport Psychology, Mental Performance, Analytics, and Scouting/Recruitment of athletes. In the future, I plan on completing a Master’s degree in Sport Psychology in order to become a Mental Performance Consultant. Feeling the need to learn more about my passions led me to join the Centre for Sport Capacity (CSC) as the Marketing, Communications, and Event Intern. As I complete my first week interning at the CSC, it is clear that the environment will be an instrumental part of my development as I move forward with my career in sport.  

    When I first came across the CSC’s intern position posting on the Brock University Career Zone, the title of the organization caught my eye. Prior to doing any research, the Centre for Sport Capacity sounded like an organization that worked in areas of athlete support. Given my future aspirations, I needed to know more. Fuelled with curiosity, I began to search for what the CSC was all about. I was pleasantly surprised that a number of their current projects & past events aligned with my future ambitions. This includes events such as the Athletes First: The Promotion of Safe Sport in Canada, the Hockey Culture Webinar from the CSC Forum Series as well as the Safe Sport Project and the Sport For Life E-Learning Modules from the CSC’s Project List. While looking through the CSC’s extensive impact on sport in the Niagara region and beyond, I felt the Centre’s goal surrounding the enhancement of diversity, inclusion, and accessibility to sport to be the prominent themes of the organization. These pillars of their organization fully align with my values. Further within the position, due to the entrepreneurial focus of my future aspirations, my personal development of marketing, communications, and events-based skills are a priority to feel prepared for life after University.  

    Something that stuck out to me during my interview with the CSC, was their curiosity in my interests. Our Director, Dr. Julie Stevens and Coordinator, Grace Nelson, wanted to know the areas in which I felt most comfortable so they could tailor the internship experience to my strengths. I consider this to be a unique aspect of the Experiential Education opportunities at the CSC. They have given me the liberty to tackle projects that I have interest in as opposed to a copy-paste internship structure. I look forward to continuing to develop my skills in data analysis in a formal work environment by working to refine the CSC analytics database and collect current statistics for the Centre. Additionally, I will focus on increasing my knowledge of different forms of social media and developing partnerships with key organizations for the CSC. I also look forward to expressing my opinions with knowledgeable CSC members as well as developing the tools to run meetings independently. 

    From my past experiences, I bring to the CSC a knowledge of analytics and Excel data collection from two years with the Fort Erie Meteors as a Statistics Tracker and Data Analyst, which will help enhance the efficiency of the CSC’s social media and website, while also interpreting trends to further aid their digital activity. My past as a Junior Development Director at a private tennis club allows me to plan for future events and coordinate with multiple stakeholders. During this time, I hosted and organized events for the junior program while also creating initiatives to increase involvement and connection from the junior members to the junior program.  

    Paraphrasing Dr. Taylor McKee, a wonderful professor, mentor and prominent member of the CSC, “Sport is not inherently good. There is a misconception that sport is good, and that sport alone can create positive change. In reality, sport is a vessel in which positive change can occur.” Based on my brief time with the Centre for Sport Capacity, it is evident that they understand this notion and that the Centre makes a significant effort to use sport for good by creating positive sustainable change within their community. 

    Categories: Blog, Students

  • 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

  • Calvin Pietron – Exit Blog, Marketing, Communications, and Event Coordinator

    Tuesday, December 06, 2022 | By

    I think you’ll agree with me when I say: 

    The Centre for Sport Capacity (CSC) is an excellent organization that benefits various communities, associations, and students such as myself. 

    For those who missed my introductory blog, my name is Calvin Pietron, I’m currently in the fourth year of my Sport Management degree at Brock University. During the Fall 2022 term, I served as the Marketing, Communications, and Event Coordinator (Intern) for the CSC where I expanded my knowledge in a variety of operational areas. 

    The integration of what I previously learned throughout my sport management degree played a large part in what I accomplished with the CSC. Key areas I learned in the classroom, such as event management, marketing, and business communications, translated into real-world applications across all aspects of my internship role, particularly through the various events the CSC holds throughout the year. Each of these three operational areas gave me the hard and soft skills to propel my professional career. 

    Through marketing, I developed copy and creative hard skills while being responsible for the creation of visual designs using the Canva software. On the other hand, copywriting was a constant theme throughout my internship. The copy created for the CSC was a big change for me switching from academic forms of formal writing to business style short form writing including anything written on the CSC website, social media, or and other digital assets. Throughout my internship, I created over 30 social media posts between the CSC’s Twitter and LinkedIn profiles which generated an additional 24 new followers in the short time frame. 

    I developed my interpersonal skills through communications via numerous emails, meetings, and networking opportunities. Email communications occurred daily with an average of 50 or more per day. I was able to demonstrate proper email etiquette to industry, community partners, and stakeholders and leverage this knowledge when networking to gain insight on a potential future job, or simply advertise to others my accomplishments and skills in an area.  

    Through event management, I managed my own events with the help of colleagues, and a professional Event Planner in the industry. I was a part of four total events for the CSC in the areas of pre-event planning, day-of event management, and post-event. 

    The most exciting event I was able to be part of was the ‘72 Summit Series 50th Anniversary Event which featured a film screening, expert panel discussion, and book signing. The movie Ice Breaker: The 72 Summit Series was based partly on the book Ice War Diplomat. My duties working with the CSC on this event included the communications and social media strategy (SMS) to promote the event using the CSC’s website, email communications, and social media platforms. I was also a part of “day-of” logistical solutions for the event, which was held at The Film House in downtown St. Catharines, including setup and tear-down for items required during the panel discussion. Overall, by managing the event from start to finish, I learned how to effectively manage an event and the different processes involved.  

    Looking back on all the events and experiences I achieved working with the CSC, I was able to understand the office-style work environment as it was a welcomed change. Most importantly, I have developed real-world skills employers are actively looking for. I now know what it takes to work as a team effectively, be a better communicator, and set goals for what I want to accomplish short & long term. 

    I truly valued my last four months working for the CSC. I would like to thank my educator Dr. Julie Stevens, Director of the CSC, and colleague Grace Nelson, Coordinator at the CSC for their ongoing collaboration and knowledge translation. I encourage anyone looking to become a community partner or work for the CSC to look no further than their website. 

     

    Categories: Blog, Students

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

    Tuesday, October 18, 2022 | By

    Hello! My name is Selena Racco, I’m interested in pursuing a career in marketing, specifically the creative aspect. Why? You might ask? Well, what better way for me to experience the thrill of catching the eyes of consumers and shaping the way they see brands in a challenging yet exciting way?

    So here I am at the beginning of my journey. I am originally from Cambridge, Ontario. In my fourth and final year of the Business Communications program at Brock University. I am very excited to begin my placement as the Event, Marketing, and Communications Assistant with the Centre for Sport Capacity where I can engage with this community and build strong relationships.

    I am thrilled to be a part of this team and gain hands-on experience in a field I want to pursue after my degree. Marketing is a very diverse industry with many different aspects that pique my interest.

    In today’s age, social media plays a huge role in a company’s brand image, and it will only continue to grow, making it a great career choice for my future. Social Media Marketing is a type that sticks out for me as I want to boost overall brand image and customer loyalty through visuals and communication.

    While in my studies at Brock University, I have been able to develop organizational, verbal, and written communication skills. I am excited to apply these skills to promote CSC’s brand image. As someone who grew up in generation Z, I am very familiar with social media networks, and I enjoy using digital media platforms such as Canva to develop digital planners and organizational wallpapers. I am eager to bring these skills to the workplace as well, where I’ll be able to create dynamic content, and provide my skills to a range of audiences.

    My main motivation for attending Brock was the opportunity to take part in an internship. When I received the email for this opportunity, it stood out to me, allowing me to pursue Event Management, Marketing, and Communications, and put these aspects into the sports industry.

    My short time with the Centre for Sport Capacity has given me an overall feeling of inclusiveness. As a student with little to no experience in the marketing world, I have been lucky enough to work in a professional setting with a group of individuals who can provide me with further knowledge to help me succeed in my future career.

    I am very excited to start my first project here at CSC with the Niagara Active Economy Summit (AE). I am passionate about design and event management, and through this event, I will be able to use and enhance my skills in Adobe Illustrator to propose creative designs. At this event, I also have the responsibility of creating invitations and acting as a guest service planner. I am excited about this event because it will be my first dive into the world of marketing. I look forward to hearing feedback and recommendations from my supervisor to guide me in the right direction for future events.

    Working on the AE summit has allowed me to take that first step into the real world of work and begin my journey, and what better way to do this than through engaging with the sports community? The purpose of this position is for me to be a part of a place where I can have a sense of fulfillment and gain experience from the CSC to create meaningful work and relationships.

    Categories: Blog, Students

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