Intersport Announces ‘The John Shippen Sports Business Summit’ Registration Open Now for High School & College Students of Color
June 3, 2021THE JOHN SHIPPEN Sports Business Summit was created by Intersport to address the lack of people of color in business and leadership roles in golf and across professional sports. To create an avenue for awareness and opportunities, THE JOHN SHIPPEN Sports Business Summit will provide students with exposure to powerful and leading voices across sports and business, and those individuals will share their experiences and offer advice about how to pursue and secure a career within the business of sports.
THE JOHN SHIPPEN Sports Business Summit panel topics will include:
So You Want to Work in Sports? Improving Communities Through Sports
Beyond the Green:Careers in the Golf Industry The Power of Sports Marketing & Social Media
Sports Journalism x Sports Broadcasting Esports x Gaming
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Impact Within Sports The Business of Sneakers
How to Land Your First Sports Internship How to Become an Athletic Director x Commissioner
Entrepreneurship in Sports The World of Global Sponsorship
The Unsung Careers: Sports Diplomacy, International Catering & Hospitality: The Heart of Customer Service
Olympics Committee & Youth Sports Programming
“We at Intersport, alongside Woods & Watts Effect, designed THE JOHN SHIPPEN Sports Business Summit as a platform to create meaningful and tangible information and networking relationships to impact the expansion of career opportunities for people of color in the business of sports,” said Jason Langwell, Executive Vice President of Intersport and Executive Director of the Rocket Mortgage Classic. “We are overwhelmed and encouraged by the support from our corporate partners and associates in business and sports industries across the country who are equally passionate and enthusiastic in their desire to participate in and provide support for THE JOHN SHIPPEN Sports Business Summit.”
Using a state-of-the-art virtual platform, THE JOHN SHIPPEN Sports Business Summit attendees will learn about a wide range of topics, from landing your first internship to industry trends, to athlete activism and social justice work via sports. Summit attendees will be given the opportunity to apply for paid internships and scholarships from sponsors, organizations and foundations within and beyond the sports industry.
THE JOHN SHIPPEN Achievement Scholarship was created in honor of John Shippen, Jr., the first American-born and the first Black golf professional. Fifteen $1,000 scholarships will be awarded to current students of color (high school junior through graduate student status) who have demonstrated leadership and service with a commitment to inclusion and diversity efforts on campus and in the community. THE JOHN SHIPPEN Achievement Scholarship is powered by the McClendon Foundation, whose mission is to empower and cultivate minority students who aspire to be principled leaders in athletics. To apply, and for eligibility requirements, please visit www.thejohnshippen.com.
THE JOHN SHIPPEN Internships will be co-created and co-funded in conjunction with corporations, foundations and partners to provide young adults of color across the nation a chance to turn their passions into fruitful, sustainable professional careers in sports. All Sports Business Summit attendees will be eligible to apply for internship positions based on their qualifications.
“THE JOHN SHIPPEN Sports Business Summit is a groundbreaking event that will provide a tremendous wealth of knowledge for students of color as they seek to obtain careers in the sports business world,” said Ebony Walls, Director of Philanthropy and Partnerships for Intersport. “In addition to the Summit, we also developed the Achievement Scholarship and Internship programs to immediately impact students in a positive way, by providing financial assistance and exposure to experience that could lead directly to future career opportunities. These opportunities wouldn’t be possible without our corporate partners, specifically Rocket Mortgage and Trion Solutions, the first two companies to put their support behind this initiative.”
Intersport collaborated with Woods and Watts Effect to design THE JOHN SHIPPEN as a vehicle to fundamentally increase diversity in golf and to create opportunities for young men and women of color in sports on a national scale.
The sport of golf is an $84 billion industry with more than two million golf-related jobs. However, less than one percent of PGA of America club professionals are Black, and only four current PGA TOUR players are Black. These statistics do not reflect a lack of talented Black golfers – they reflect limited access and resources.
Historical barriers for Black golfers include: affordable and consistent access to championship courses; quality golf equipment; top-rated swing coaches; sponsorship; and access to capital for housing and travel.