Adam in Australia = A Good Read
G'day mates! Though Adam Cohen has traveled all over the world, this week's spotlight is coming to you all the way from the rugged Outback - Australia. So go ahead, throw some shrimp on the barbie and enjoy this read!
Where are you now, and what are your job responsibilities?
I am currently a lecturer in the sports management department at the University of Technology Sydney. I relocated to Australia just over a year ago after working at Texas Tech University as an Assistant Professor for over three years. My job responsibilities include a wide range of teaching including most of the subjects the current class of MSL students are probably taking. I'm still trying to learn all these weird Aussie sports and have no clue why they like cricket more than baseball. My responsibilities also include researching sport-for-development initiatives and community outreach with my university.
How has the program helped you get there? What did you value most about the MSL program, and how can the current class benefit from that thing?
I enrolled in the MSL program during a time I had become "burnt out" by my long hours and crap pay of my non-profit job and missed the atmosphere of academia. The program was such a positive experience I wanted to continue my education. My internship with Sport in Society introduced me to several professors in the sport management field whose research focused on "sport for social change" initiatives and convinced me to pursue a PhD. After three years of being a broke graduate student at Texas A&M University, I finally received my degree and started my job at Texas Tech.
As for how the current class can benefit: it's a cliche that they've all heard a million times but...NETWORK! Also learn how to stand out from the crowd! Your current professors won't like me saying this, but in reality, your future employers will care next to nothing what your GPA is versus what your work and life experience have been. Worry less about your grade and more about becoming a critical thinker and building bonds with your classmates and teachers. Volunteer, travel, meet people in the field you are interested in working in. Be energetic and aggressive (but not annoying). Don't be afraid to lean on the NEU alumni and your current cohort for help or connections.
Are you willing to be contacted for networking opportunities? If so, what is the best way to get in touch with you?
Sure, my connections in the practitioner world are limited, but always happy to chat. If anyone ever makes it to Australia, I'll buy you a beer and you can catch me up on Boston sports.
Any other tidbits you'd like to share?
For those that enjoy the research process, or are on the fence about pursuing a PhD, you can still have fun with the right topic. My dissertation was on the sport of quidditch. I've written about hip hop initiatives in Harlem, lived in Nicaragua to study a soccer program, and just spent two weeks in Vanuatu working with a volleyball program for women. Since graduating from NEU, I've traveled to over 20 countries around the world (some for work, many for play). While writing literature reviews still aren't my favourite thing in the world, I've certainly aimed to make the research process enjoyable for myself.
Where are you now, and what are your job responsibilities?
I am currently a lecturer in the sports management department at the University of Technology Sydney. I relocated to Australia just over a year ago after working at Texas Tech University as an Assistant Professor for over three years. My job responsibilities include a wide range of teaching including most of the subjects the current class of MSL students are probably taking. I'm still trying to learn all these weird Aussie sports and have no clue why they like cricket more than baseball. My responsibilities also include researching sport-for-development initiatives and community outreach with my university.
How has the program helped you get there? What did you value most about the MSL program, and how can the current class benefit from that thing?
I enrolled in the MSL program during a time I had become "burnt out" by my long hours and crap pay of my non-profit job and missed the atmosphere of academia. The program was such a positive experience I wanted to continue my education. My internship with Sport in Society introduced me to several professors in the sport management field whose research focused on "sport for social change" initiatives and convinced me to pursue a PhD. After three years of being a broke graduate student at Texas A&M University, I finally received my degree and started my job at Texas Tech.
As for how the current class can benefit: it's a cliche that they've all heard a million times but...NETWORK! Also learn how to stand out from the crowd! Your current professors won't like me saying this, but in reality, your future employers will care next to nothing what your GPA is versus what your work and life experience have been. Worry less about your grade and more about becoming a critical thinker and building bonds with your classmates and teachers. Volunteer, travel, meet people in the field you are interested in working in. Be energetic and aggressive (but not annoying). Don't be afraid to lean on the NEU alumni and your current cohort for help or connections.
Are you willing to be contacted for networking opportunities? If so, what is the best way to get in touch with you?
Sure, my connections in the practitioner world are limited, but always happy to chat. If anyone ever makes it to Australia, I'll buy you a beer and you can catch me up on Boston sports.
Any other tidbits you'd like to share?
For those that enjoy the research process, or are on the fence about pursuing a PhD, you can still have fun with the right topic. My dissertation was on the sport of quidditch. I've written about hip hop initiatives in Harlem, lived in Nicaragua to study a soccer program, and just spent two weeks in Vanuatu working with a volleyball program for women. Since graduating from NEU, I've traveled to over 20 countries around the world (some for work, many for play). While writing literature reviews still aren't my favourite thing in the world, I've certainly aimed to make the research process enjoyable for myself.
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