Board Members for the KU Sport Management Club Announced
By Dominique Kropp, KU Sport Management Doctoral Student
As we wrap up the fall semester of the 2017–2018 academic year, we are excited to introduce the new board members of our KU Sport Management Club (SMC)! These students were selected after an application and interview process with faculty and current SMC board members. The SMC is dedicated to advancing the experiences of KU students interested in the sport industry and serving the university and local community.
Abby Berkery is from Golden, Colorado, and decided to attend KU because of the college town atmosphere and sport tradition as well as the sport management program. As Co-President, she will work closely with Spencer Laughlin (Co-President) to guide club members, specifically other board members, in planning fundraisers, coordinating social media, and recruiting guest speakers. When asked about how she plans to contribute to the KU Sport Management Club Abby explained, “Last year the club grew tremendously and I can’t wait to get more people involved and show them what they could gain from joining.” In the spring, she looks forward to creating an atmosphere within the KU SMC that encourages students to join in the future.
Spencer Laughlin is from Prairie Village, Kansas. KU was an excellent fit for Spencer because of the proximity to his home and his love for basketball. In detailing his role as Co-President, Spencer explained that he has never been in a similar role, so he hopes to grow and learn from the experience, and expressed, “I am looking forward to being able to collaborate with the other board members to provide the best experience for all of our club members.” In addition, he noted that last year, the KU SMC took a trip to Kauffman, Arrowhead, and the Sprint Center, and he would like to plan a similar trip for members this spring. Spencer also suggested a tour of the Missouri Mavericks facility to provide a great experience for club members interested in working for a sports team.
Raeley Youngs is from Springfield, Missouri. Attending KU was an easy decision for Raeley, growing up a Jayhawk enthusiast with family roots in Topeka, Kansas. As the KU SMC Public Relations Coordinator, Raeley is responsible for making sure all members are “in the know” about happenings within the club, as well as recruiting members to join in an engaging way. She hopes to increase club activity on social media by promoting volunteer opportunities as well as internships and job opportunities. Raeley stated, “I look forward to collaborating with my fellow board members to come up with fresh ways to promote our club and give our members more opportunities to gain experience in the field of sport management.”
Brandon Silansky is from Dallas, Texas. As a basketball enthusiast, KU was a perfect fit. As Treasurer and Membership Coordinator, Brandon is in charge of collecting fees from members and keeping track of those who attend meetings. He hopes to grow the club as much as possible in the upcoming semester. Brandon also mentioned the possibility of a stadium tour in the spring, explaining, “I feel like it is going to be a great opportunity for not only myself but for all the members in the club to get to experience this.”
Tommy Sih is from Prairie Village, KS and the son of two KU alumni. Within the KU SMC, Tommy is the Fundraising Coordinator, which means he is in charge of helping the club raise money, perhaps one of the most important elements in helping the club grow. He is most excited to utilize his creative skills to develop new ways to raise money. “I look forward to helpfully being able to do a trip with the club and making the club more prominent on campus”, Tommy stated.
When asked about the new Board of Directors for the KU SMC, Dr. Brian Gordon, Assistant Professor of Sport Management and Advisor for the KU Sport Management Club, expressed, “I am very excited about our new board members for the Sport Management Club. With the addition of these very talented students, the future of SMC is very bright. The new board members bring a diversity of experience and skills that represent a great fit with our overall vision for SMC. I am looking forward to starting the planning for our spring activities which will include great guest speakers, valuable community outreach, exciting fundraising opportunities, and a professional trip to network with sport industry executives.” We look forward to following the KU SMC as they continue to grow, and congratulate the new board members in their positions!
