It is not the beginning to an end but the end to a new beginning. Our MSBA Graduation Dinner marks a time of transition from the whirlwind of working and living in NYC to getting back to reality. We, my fellow MSBA classmates and I, all enjoyed the attempt of a roast session by Lorne Segall himself, but let’s be honest, the tag team show of Luke Murray (awarded “Most Likely to be at the Lake”) and Andrew “The Zinger” Zingone could not be beat.

After a day dedicated to my final intern project presentation at Modell’s Sporting Goods, being the first one at Clancey for our Dinner was a weird, surreal moment to realize that the summer literally passed by in the blink of an eye. Now, my favorite quote of all time is, “Live as if you were to die tomorrow, learn as if you were to live forever.” Although I have not done much research into Ghandi and his life’s work other than what we all know, his quote speaks to my way of life with how I approached being selected to participate in MSBA 2018 and moving to New York.

“Thank you MSBA for teaching me more than I could have ever imagined and enabling me to develop into a future sports business leader.”

One year ago, I feel like my life was in a very different direction than it is now; I recently finished up my summer internship, as well as attended two student programs, and realized that I needed a new path and discovered a redefined passion for myself. I learned what I like and do not like out of a career and will say that it changed the course of my journey. Two months, or a summer semester, seems like a short amount of time to learn that much at any job or experience when it comes to the professional world, but there is more value in the quality of the experience vs. the quantity of time for an experience. Of course, it all depends on the perspective.

Anyhow, as many of my fellow MSBA peeps have shared through their own blogs, this summer will be UNFORGETTABLE to say the least. Behind the scenes of all the fantastic Office Field Trips, Speaker Series and Career Workshop events, and the scheduled programming with our Mentors and Alumni, nothing can ever take away the bonds and memories that we created – not just us 25 participants, but with Grace and John (MSBA Interns), Bailey and Lorne (Mom and Dad of the Year), as well as David (MSBA Co-Founder).

Now, I do try my best to live a life as Ghandi emphasized, but it is also necessary to stop and smell the roses. That once-in-a-lifetime opportunity may not come again, so it is best to soak it all in and take advantage of the possibilities you encounter, yet never lose sight of what is most important and enjoy being present in the moment. Time is not and will never be on our side. Family, friends, and the best of memories will always remain, especially the people who grow with you.

Thank you MSBA for teaching me more than I could have ever imagined and enabling me to develop into a future sports business leader. For prospective students: if you have any desire to work in sports, take the risk and apply. It will be worth it and has worked wonders for me.

For one final time, #HOOKEMHORNS! \m/