Each semester, students have a virtual one-on-one meeting with Shelley Lyle, Director of Engaged Learning and Outreach. In her role with the Department of Sport Management, Shelley is responsible for enhancing the educational experience of students, by focusing on industry relations, student professional development, and alumni engagement.
All students are required to meet with Lyle during their first semester, thereafter you are assigned a career coach and participation shifts to professional and career development. Lyle proactively reaches out to all students to initiate the intake process. After your initial intake, the same great resources are still available to you, and the Department of Sport Management encourages distance learners to take advantage of the opportunities offered and consistently check back in with Lyle.
Shelley Lyle leads the four-semester sequence that encourages students to hone in early on how they’re going to optimize their graduate education to achieve their career goals. She engages students in structured discussions, assignments, and other activities that build on one another, bringing distance learners closer to achieving their goals as they progress through the OSM program.
The sequence consists of these units:
It’s part of a non-credit course, called The Training Room, that also includes an academic advising module with the student’s graduate faculty advisor.
Online M.S. in Sport Management students are also welcome to participate in career services activities offered locally, including on-campus discussions with sport industry professionals and field and networking trips. Brian D. Avery apprises distance learners of events that are particularly relevant to their career aspirations, and some online students are able to take advantage of these opportunities if they live nearby or can travel. Funds may be available to online students to cover registration and other costs associated with participating in networking and professional development activities.
Shelley Lyle is the director of engaged learning and outreach for graduate programs for the University of Florida Department of Sport Management. She is a co-lecturer for the athlete development graduate course and an assistant with the PAADS Certificate program. She is a former University of Florida soccer player who spent the last ten years in various athlete development roles. Most recently, she managed the University of Florida women’s soccer program as the program coordinator (director of operations). During that time, she completed her master’s in sport management and certificate in athlete development.
Prior to her role with the soccer program, she was a graduate assistant for Dr. Michael Sagas, where she led research in sport for development programming in the Laboratory for Athlete and Athletics Development. She worked as an athletic director in Kigali, Rwanda and lived and volunteered with a soccer ministry in the inner city of Charlotte, NC. Her passion lies in the holistic development of people. She enjoys building safe and inclusive environments that support students, athletes, and other professionals as they pursue their career ambitions and life goals.
To learn more about the University of Florida’s online master’s in sport management and download a free brochure, fill out the fields below. You can also call (877) 665-3860 to speak to one of our academic coordinators about the program.
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The Athlete Development specialization qualifies students to pursue certification through the Professional Association of Athlete Development Specialists (PAADS).