In the News

• The 125 Most Influential in Sports Business of the Past 25 Years: Sports Business Journal (feat. Susan O’Malley)
• Another reason for college athletics employment reform: the coaching carousel: Extra Points (written by Mark Nagel)
• Columbia City Council set to vote on $70M luxury hotel project in downtown rejuvenation effort: WLTX (feat. Ed Dramberger)
• Holiday shopping hits a new peak as Columbia shoppers hunt for deals: WLTX (feat. Md. Rafiqul Islam Rana)

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Faculty and Staff Notes

• Congratulations to Khalid Ballouli and Nicholas Watanabe on being promoted to the rank of professor as well as Scott Taylor Jr. to associate professor.
• Congratulations to the following faculty members on their appointments to endowed professorships: Susan O’Malley, Stephen Shapiro, Nicholas Watanabe (Canteen Corporation Professorship), Fevzi Okumus (William McFall "Mac" Pearce Endowed Professor), Fang Meng (Mr. and Mrs. James T. Pearce Endowed Professorship) and Miyoung Jeong (Mr. and Mrs. Roy Pearce Endowed Professor). Their selection followed a rigorous, multi-stage review process, validating their status as exceptional scholars and educators.
• Susan O’Malley was named one of the top 125 influential sports business figures of the past quarter-century by Sports Business Journal.
• Md. Rafiqul Islam Rana’s article, “Value-Based Segmentation of Young Luxury Consumers in Fashion Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs): Personal and Luxury Value Perspectives” was published in the Journal of Internet Commerce.
• Mike Watson was recognized by USC Vice Provost Lara Lomicka Anderson for his participation in the Community of Practice for the Student Experience Project, advancing strategies that improve retention, belonging and overall student experience.
• Stephen Shapiro, David and Nicole Tepper Department of Sport and Entertainment Management Ph.D. alum Deukmook Bae (now at SMU) and Brendan Dwyer of Virginia Commonwealth authored “Overcoming a Bad Beat: An Examination of Sport Gambling Consumer Motives, Dehumanization, and Athlete Blame,” recently published in Sport Marketing Quarterly.

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Student Notes

• Joshua Applebaum (Sport and Entertainment Management) accepted a player services internship for the Credit One Charleston Open this spring.
• Anthony Blachman (Sport and Entertainment Management) will be joining the Gamecock Football Equipment Staff as an intern.
• Caitlin Cassady (Sport and Entertainment Management) accepted an internship with Empire Sports Management for spring semester.
• Ryan Cizmar (Sport and Entertainment Management) accepted a position as a ticketing intern with the Credit One Charleston Open.
• Christopher DelPlato (Hospitality Management) accepted a full time position at Four Seasons Resort Hualalai as a manager in training in the rooms division, to begin in July.
• Tara Flood (Sport and Entertainment Management) will be joining the Tulsa Oilers this summer as a sales intern.
• Alli Garner (Sport and Entertainment Management) accepted a position with the Carolina Hurricanes as an inside sales associate to begin after graduation this May.
• Marcus Grant (Sport and Entertainment Management) accepted a summer 2026 ticket sales internship with the Atlanta Gladiators.
• Maria Holevas (Retailing - Fashion Merchandising and Digital Innovations) accepted a position as design and product development intern at Augusta National Golf Club, to begin this July following her graduation in May.
• Alexandra Kantrowitz (Sport and Entertainment Management) will be interning with the Events Department at Colonial Life Arena.
• Lexi Klemz (Sport and Entertainment Management) accepted an offer to join the Atlanta Braves as a corporate partnership service trainee for the 2026 season.
• Natalie Kobus (Hospitality Management) will be joining The Alotian Club in Little Rock, Arkansas, for a nine-month club management externship beginning in May.
• Trevor Lazarus (Hospitality Management) will serve as a hospitality guide with the NBCUniversal Corporate Events team in Milan for the 2026 Winter Olympics.
• Jacob Letterman (Sport and Entertainment Management) accepted a summer 2026 ticket sales internship with the Atlanta Gladiators.
• Carly Lombardo (Sport and Entertainment Management) accepted an assistant general manager internship with the Bristol Blues of the New England Collegiate Baseball League for the upcoming season.
• Kenny McClinton (Sport and Entertainment Management) will join the Columbia Fireflies as a member of the Glow Squad for the 2026 season.
• Susanna McCormick (Retailing - Retail Management) finished all the requirements to become an Eco Ambassador through the USC Office of Sustainability.
• Savannah Miller (Master of International Hospitality and Tourism Management) earned her Certification in Hotel Industry Analytics.
• Kason Pippin (Sport and Entertainment Management) accepted a hospitality and credentialing internship for the 2026 Credit One Charleston Open.
• Sammi Raimondo (Retailing - Fashion Merchandising and Digital Innovations) accepted a full-time role at Burlington as an assistant buyer.
• Amber Reynolds (Hospitality Management) started a new position as student worker lead at Aramark.
• Marissa Roach (Retailing - Fashion Merchandising and Digital Innovations) completed her LVMH Retail, Branding, and Customer Experience certification.
• Avery Schopp (Sport and Entertainment Management) accepted a summer 2026 community and group sales internship with the Atlanta Gladiators.
• Liam Sullivan (Hospitality Management) will serve as a team member for Sustainable Carolina's Garden Team this spring.
• Lauren Treat (Sport and Entertainment Management) will be interning with Tulsa Oilers Hockey and Tulsa Oilers Football this summer, supporting the hockey team through the remainder of the season and the football team throughout the summer.
• Laurel Tucker (Sport and Entertainment Management) accepted the position of event management, guest services, and special events assistant for the Schottenstein Center at The Ohio State University.
• Cody Wohlrab (Sport and Entertainment Management) accepted a summer 2026 inside sales internship with Trenton ECHL Hockey.

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Alumni Notes

• Caroline Ailstock (Retailing - Retail Management, ‘25) accepted a new position as a territory sales lead with The Hershey Company.
• Marissa Armato (Retailing - Retail Management, ‘25) accepted a new position at Big Think Capital as a brand marketing associate.
• Lily Church (Tourism Management, ‘24) started a new position as travel & cash management analyst at Premier Inc.
• Brandon Davis (Interdisciplinary Studies, ‘14) is launching a new podcast, The Brandon Davis Show, recently featured in The Hollywood Reporter.
• Kirstyn Dietrich (Services Management, ‘25) accepted a full-time position as regional marketing coordinator with Live Nation Entertainment, based in the Columbia office.
• Adnaan Dossaji (Sport and Entertainment Management, ‘23) started a new role as a sales representative at Enteractive.
• Jacob Elliott (Hospitality Management and Retailing - Retail Management, ‘24) started a new position as inside sales representative at Nucor Corporation.
• Ethan Goldberg (Hospitality Management, ‘25) accepted a new role as a food and beverage manager at the B-Liner with Kiawah Island Club. He interned at the club while a student.
• Emma (Studeny) Hatcher (Hospitality Management, ‘20) earned the ABC Investments and Management Company Sales Impact Award.
• Jenna Heuer (Retailing - Fashion Merchandising and Digital Innovations, ‘25) accepted a new position as a merchandise presentation space planner in Apparel at Academy Sports + Outdoors.
• Robin Hillyer Miles, (Hospitality, Restaurant and Tourism Administration, ‘85), writing as Robin Hillyer-Miles, published her first full-length novel, Cathy's Corner, A Marion's Corner Story. This cozy magical contemporary romance is set in a small town in the SC Lowcountry. Robin lives in Hanahan and is also a certified city of Charleston tour guide, a 300 hour yoga instructor, and works full-time for a non-profit. Her book is available at most book retailers.
• Kinsey Holmen (Sport and Entertainment Management, ‘25) accepted a new role with the U.S. Soccer Federation as office coordinator.
• Emily Jetton (Sport and Entertainment Management, ‘25) started a new position as ticket operations manager with the Memphis Redbirds, AAA affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals.
• Hyunsu Kim (Hospitality Management Ph.D., ‘22) earned the Emerald Literati Award for Outstanding Reviewer from the International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management.
• Leah Kirschbaum (Sport and Entertainment Management, ‘25) accepted a new position with the Pittsburgh Penguins as an event and hospitality support intern.
• Jordan Knight (Retailing, Hospitality Management minor, ‘25) accepted a new position as a rotational intern at The Tree Farm, a private golf club in Batesburg, South Carolina.
• Bobby Lanzone (Tourism Management, ‘24) began the MBA program at LSU Shreveport.
• Taylor Lemons (Hospitality Management. ‘24) joined the Greater Orlando Sports Commission as manager of marketing & communications.
• Brittany Martin (Hospitality Management, '16) started a new position as assistant director of event services at the Georgia World Congress Center Authority.
• Sean McCabe (Sport and Entertainment Management, ‘23) started a new position as associate vice president at Tristate Financial Advisors.
• Quentin McElveen (Hospitality Management, ‘11) started a new position as assistant general manager at Lantern Columbia.
• Averi McNeil (Sport and Entertainment Management, ‘21) began the MBA program at Purdue Global.
• Nicole Monninger (Hospitality Management, ‘22) started a new position as catering sales executive at The Westin Copley Place, Boston.
• Brennan Petrane (Sport and Entertainment Management, ‘25) promoted from inside sales representative to account executive, new business development with the Charlotte Hornets.
• Caitlyn Rascher (Sport and Entertainment Management, ‘25) started a new position as customer success manager at Comply.
• Junior Saint Juste (Sport and Entertainment Management, ‘25) will pursue an MBA at the Fogelman College of Business & Economics, University of Memphis.
• Jamie Scott (Retailing, ‘01) was chosen to serve on the USC Board of Visitors.
• Myles Solomon (Sport and Entertainment Management, ‘99) was named the first director of sports law at the University of Georgia School of Law.
• Grant Taylor (Retailing - Retail Management, ‘23) completed his MBA at USC-Aiken.