WINS

In conjunction with the Sport Management Society, Women Influencers in Sport (WINS) offers regular programming to encourage the development and education of female students studying sport management. Through the initiative and its mentorship, female students gain the skills, knowledge, networks and confidence necessary to establish themselves in what is currently an overwhelmingly male-dominated industry. For more information, contact Assistant Professor Shaina Dabbs.

Empower

  • Build your brand
  • Interviewing
  • Self-confidence and self-reliance
  • Storytelling

Educate

  • X’s and O’s of certain sports
  • Review Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg and Mindset by Carol Dweck
  • Diversity
  • Workplace trends and situations

Engage

  • Women leaders in the sport industry visit campus and serve as guest speakers
  • Empowerment panel
  • Undergraduate research
  • Community outreach
  • Internships

Connect

  • Elon alumni relationships
  • WINS segment on “Elon Phoenix Weekly”
  • Networking
  • Partnership with Women’s Elon Entertainment Empire (WEEE)

Mission statement

To empower female students to be successful leaders in sport through education, engagement, and meaningful connection; in doing so, WINS seeks to create a more diverse classroom, workforce, and sport community.

As a woman in a male-dominated industry, it’s important to find a support system and circle who understand your journey, and to understand that you may one day be able to provide an opportunity to another woman who wants to break into the sport field.

– Kelsey Harris ’14

Mentors

Serena Archer ’19 – Mentoring Abbie Skladan
Creative Content Product/Editor
University of Kentucky Athletics
Lexington, Kentucky

Monica Austin ’18 – Mentoring Chloe Hach
Business Development Representative
LeagueSide
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Elizabeth Benjamin ’18 – Mentoring Violet Robertson
Marketing and Events Coordinator
Scott Duffy Media
Los Angeles, California

Kylie Devlin ’19 – Mentoring Riley McSheffrey
Premium Sales Associate
New York Jets
New York, New York

Raychel Diver ’15 – Mentoring Madison Genaway
Director of the Phoenix Club
Elon University
Elon, North Carolina

Jane Domeck ’16 – Mentoring Taylor Schmitt
Account Manager
Adwerx
Raleigh, North Carolina

Kristina Grigos ’19 – Mentoring Taylor Schmitt
Premium Sales Associate
New York Jets
New York, New York

Grace Hanlon ’16 – Mentoring Abbie Skladan
Assistant Director of Athletic Facilities, Game Operations and Championships
Duke University
Durham, North Carolina

Kelsey Harris ’14 – Mentoring Jaylin Powell
Assistant Director of Women’s Basketball Operations
Atlantic Coast Conference
Greensboro, North Carolina

Alisha Ingold ’13 – Mentoring Marina Silva
Sunshine Beverages, LLC
Sales Manager
Denver, Colorado

Danielle Lafferty ’12 – Mentoring Chloe Hach
Director of Athletics
Pfeiffer University
Misenheimer, North Carolina

Shelby McKay ’13 – Mentoring Olivia Lovell
Senior Student-Athlete Development Associate
George Washington University
Washington, D.C.

Hannah Olson ’18 – Mentoring Meagan Hanratty
Account Executive, Ticket Sales
Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Carol Pyszkowski ’16 – Mentoring Claire Latimer and Jada Graves
Account Manager
Octagon
Cary, North Carolina

Lauren Rhyne ’14 – Mentoring Meagan Hanratty and Sophia Tasselmyer
Director of Educational Resources
USA Baseball
Durham, North Carolina

Katie Soraghan ’17 – Mentoring Olivia Lovell and Ashlee Bracket
Assistant Director of the Phoenix Club
Elon University
Elon, North Carolina

Zora Stephenson ’15 – Mentoring Claire Latimer
Sideline and Digital Reporter
Milwaukee Bucks
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Abby Suguiyama ‘13 – Mentoring Natalie Cummins
Director of Football Student Support
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, Wisconsin

Olivia Wamelink ’18 – Mentoring Ashley LaPlaca
Senior Account Executive
Octogan
Charlotte, North Carolina

Promise of Possibility

In recognition of National Girls & Women in Sports Day, the School of Communications and the WINS initiative – in conjunction with the Athletic Department – hosted a daylong event titled “Promise of Possibility – a celebration of women in sport” on Feb. 14, 2020. It featured an on-campus panel discussion, networking reception and classroom visits with female professionals in the sport industry, and concluded with a gathering at the Elon women’s basketball game.

The event was highlighted by an afternoon panel in LaRose Student Commons featuring Erinn Latta of Ecore; Monica McCoy, a sport industry consultant; Dana Seiden of Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment; Felicia Tittle of Duke University; and Theresa Wenzel, former president of the WNBA’s Atlanta Dream organization. The panel was moderated by Associate Professor Cara Lucia. Photos of the panel on available on Flickr.

Leading up to the Promise of Possibility event, Elon alumna Kelsey Harris ’14 participated in the video below, reflecting on women in sport and how visibility is important. Harris serves as the assistant director of women’s basketball operations for the Atlantic Coast Conference.

 

There is a saying that we use a lot here at the Nationals: “Work until you no longer have to introduce yourself.” And I believe in the sports industry, this could not be more accurate.

– Heather Lamb ’17