The sport administration department took students to Minnesota over the weekend to get a glimpse into their futures.

Students were able to see how a career in sports administration works at the professional sports level and meet with representatives of the Minnesota Vikings.

Mac Roush, a junior and founder of the Sports Administration Club, was an integral part of organizing the trip. He reached out to advisors and Simpson alumni to help make it happen. Roush also wanted to help raise awareness of women in the sports administration field.

“I saw an opportunity that could benefit students interested in networking and sports administration at a professional and collegiate level,” Roush said. 

The group of 14 students were able to pack in a long list of experiences in a short amount of time. The group was able to visit the Minnesota Vikings football practice facility, a Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx facility and watch a University of Minnesota hockey game. 

They were also able to meet with the Director of Operations at TCF Bank Stadium Brady Buresh, and Vikings Operations Coordinator Chuck Petersen. Both of whom are Simpson alumni. 

Students were also able to attend a networking event for Simpson College Alumni in the Minneapolis area and meet with a representative for the Minnesota Twins.

“Being in both the collegiate and professional sport environments and touring the places in which they work was informative and fun,” senior Gable Johnson said. “My favorite part of the experience was Saturday when we were able to visit Simpson alumni, Brady Buresh. He took us on a tour of Athlete Village, along with TCF Bank Stadium. These tours stood out to me because I want to work in collegiate athletics administration, and being able to see the impact that administration has on the facilities and services provided to student-athletes at the highest level was incredible.”

Students enjoyed the opportunity to see the many different career paths associated with a degree in sports administration. 

“My favorite part was probably the meeting with the Timberwolves because I currently work for the Iowa Wolves and it was exciting to see the possibilities of potentially being able to work in the NBA someday,” junior Jeramy Randol said. 

Students on the trip were impressed with the opportunity to talk with Buresh and Petersen to hear how a Simpson graduate made it to those positions.

“I hope to one day provide similar resources to the athletes I serve, so being able to see someone from Simpson do it gave me some hope for my own future,” said Johnson.

“Overall, it was a wonderful learning experience and I am looking forward to applying this knowledge throughout my career,” sophomore Claire Oetting said.