By: Lamont Williams
Fall 2022 marked the launch of a valuable sport-centric professional development workshop series programmed specifically for SJSU students interested in pursuing a career in the world of sport. Siempre Sports Academy, founded by Dr. Lamont Williams (Assistant Professor, Department of Kinesiology – Sport Management & Culture), serves as an opportunity for students to engage with various industry professionals from every major sport team in the Bay Area. The workshops are designed to educate students on the skills necessary to compete in the job market, as well as provide a space to network with other underrepresented students and professionals to gain insight on utilizing their ‘diversity’ as an asset. Each workshop features a different contemporary focus, thoughtfully curated to support underserved students and provide an avenue for real-world knowledge acquisition directly from industry professionals who are scouting for the leaders of tomorrow. In a nutshell, Siempre Sports Academy is focused on closing the knowledge gap AND giving SJSU students an edge in the job market, one workshop at a time.
Dr. Williams began developing the Siempre Sports Academy as a part of the Assigned Time for Exceptional Levels of Service to Students Program. The first event, titled, “So, You Want to Work in Sports?” was completed in partnership with the National Football League’s San Francisco 49ers in September 2022. The event was hosted at the Black Oak Casino Resort Club in Levi’s Stadium, where students were invited to attend a panel on the various opportunities available for working in the world of sport. The speakers for the first event included Sara Salam (Director of Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging – National Hockey League’s San José Sharks), Austin Moss II (Director of Player Engagement – San Francisco 49ers), and Corry Rush (Vice President of Football Communication – San Francisco 49ers). Dr. Williams moderated the discussion, which featured topical questions for the panelists and a Q&A portion for students to ask the panelists questions of their own. Following the event, students were invited to join the panelists in further discussions related to their particular interests during the post-event mixer!
The Siempre Sports Academy will continue to offer workshops in partnership with major sport teams in the Bay Area to increase employment/internship/volunteering opportunities for students interested in working in the world of sport.
For more information, please visit www.savantlamont.com/ssa and follow Siempre Sports Academy on LinkedIn and Instagram (@siempresports).