NC State Sport Management Club Hosts Inaugural H.O.W.L. Summit

The NC State Sport Management Club is a student-run organization for students wanting to expand their network and educational opportunities outside of the classroom. Two years ago the club officers decided to create a professional conference to be held on the NC State campus. Club President, Clay Long stated ” This had never been done before and we wanted to lay the foundation for something that can grow into a staple of the Sport Management Program.” They decided to call it the H.O.W.L Summit which stands for Hands on Wolfpack Learning.
Their mission was for participants to have the chance to network with sport industry professionals and learn new information about the fields that they wish to enter. Over two days of presentations, panels, and mingling events, aspiring Sport Management professionals will leave with additional knowledge about the sport sector and have a more-defined outlook on their goals.
On March 2nd, keynote speaker Dr. Debbie Yow- Director of Athletics at NC State University kicked off the inaugural summit addressing eighty participants at the Talley Student Union. Dr. Yow offered this tip on how to be prepared for your first entry-level job “If you don’t remember anything else I say, remember, It’s all about the people (you work with).”
The Summit consisted of an impressive list of keynote speakers and panelists over two days with many great moments. For Long, one of the best moments of the summit was when Dereck Whittenburg came and talked about his experiences in the professional sport field, he brought the Emmy he won as Executive Producer for the ESPN 30/30 documentary “Survive and Advance“. Mr. Whittenburg left this thought for the audience, “A vision is a dream WITH a plan. When adversity comes don’t give up on your plan.”
In addition, the Summit included ten companies who came out to talk to students and share what their companies do within this field. The daily mingle sessions also offered great opportunities for students to get involved and network.
The SMT Club would like the summit to be an annual or bi-annual event, one that continues to grow each year.  “I am really proud of everyone in the Sport Management Club who got involved to plan this historic summit. I can not wait to see what it grows into over the years, and I hope to be able to come back to the 20th H.O.W.L Summit here at NC State”, Clay Long.