UA’s Sport Management Lecture Series Kicks off Friday

Note to Editors/Producers: Jessie Gardner will be available either before or after the lecture for interviews. Reporters should contact Kim Eaton, UA media relations, at kkeaton@ur.ua.edu, prior to the lecture if they would like to interview Gardner.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The 2015 University of Alabama Distinguished Lectures in Sport Management series offers the community talks ranging from ethics, integrity and the anti-doping movement to discussion of the World Games 2021.

Presented by the College of Human Environmental Sciences’ sport management program, each lecture is designed to discuss various aspects of sports administration and management. The lectures are free and open to the public. All fall lectures will be held at 1 p.m. in 247 Bryant Hall.

The series kicks off Friday with Jessie Gardner who will present “Leadership & Career Development.”

Gardner has more than 10 years of experience in collegiate athletics, currently serving as director of UA’s Athletics Student-Athlete Enhancement. In this role, she oversees the “D.R.I.V.E. For Success” Career and Leadership program and the Life Skills and Community Outreach program, both of which support the development of student-athletes beyond their career at Alabama.

D.R.I.V.E. For Success is a new support service designed to actively engage current and former student-athletes in their professional and leadership growth in preparation for success in life.

Some of the topic areas include resume development, career exploration and exposure, interview preparation, communication skills, financial literacy, networking, leadership, social media and career opportunities.

With a focus on personal development and service initiatives, the Life Skills and Community Outreach program cultivates skills within student-athletes that equip them to make critical life decisions, while also promoting opportunities to engage in service in and around the Tuscaloosa area.

Prior to joining UA, Gardner served as the Life Skills Coordinator for the University of Nebraska Athletic Department from 2011 to 2014. She functioned as the Life Skills sport counselor for football, men’s and women’s track and field, soccer, men’s and women’s gymnastics, and swimming and diving.

She also facilitated community outreach requests seeking student-athletes, served as the adviser of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and directed several major events including the Student-Athlete Career Fair, Senior Session and Networking Night.

Gardner was a soccer student-athlete at the University of Central Florida from 2004 to 2008 and nominated captain during her senior season. She earned her undergraduate and graduate degrees from UCF, graduating in 2008 with her Bachelor of Arts in Interpersonal Communication, and earning an MBA in December 2010 and a Master’s in Sports Business Management from the DeVos Sports Business Management Program in May 2011.

Gardner also helped develop the Life Skills program within Student Services at UCF while pursuing her master’s degrees. She was born and raised in Sarasota, Florida.

The remaining lectures are as follows:

Sept. 18: Ethics, Integrity & Anti-Doping Movement — Presenter: Travis Tygart, USADA
Sept. 25: Sports Marketing & Sponsorship — Presenter: Butch Henry
Oct.  9: Career Opportunities in the Sporting Good Industry — Presenter: Cathy Pryor- National Sporting Goods Association
Oct. 23: World Games 2021 — Presenter: Steve Mistrot & Dave Benck, Birmingham World Games Committee