‘Get in the Game’ Event Will Debut in October to Help Students of Color Land Footwear and Sports Jobs
Athletic platform First and Pen and Sports Business Research Network (SBRnet) are launching “Get in the Game,” a new diversity-driven career and education event debuting this fall.
The first iteration, set for Oct. 6-8 at the Sheraton Inner Harbor in Baltimore, will bring together students of color from local HBCUs as well as other institutions and leading shoe and sports companies.
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Confirmed sponsors include Dick’s Sporting Goods, On, Asics, Under Armour, Clarks, The American Junior Golf Association, The Major League Baseball Players’ Association, The Ad Council and Ilitch Sports, owners of The Detroit Tigers and Red Wings.
“Our goal is to educate students about the large number of career options that exist in sports and connect companies with talented young men and women of color who will help them forge future success across their businesses,” said First and Pen founder Yussuf Khan. “As an industry veteran, an entrepreneur and educator, I understand the needs and goals of the industry, the opportunities it presents and the talent, vision and success that young people of color can bring when doors are opened.”
Organizers said that students will be directly connected with industry leaders and recruiters, who will provide insight into the industry’s operations and practices.
“Our goal is to showcase the wide range of career options in sports that are open to students of color,” said Mark Sullivan, a managing partner of SBRnet, which provides data and other sports business resources to more than 250 colleges and universities.
Confirmed speakers and presenters to date include new Clarks CEO Jonathan Ram, along with the brand’s marketing and social media executives Tara McRae and Kweku Quansah. Mallory Zikeli, talent acquisition manager and head of university relations for Dick’s Sporting Goods, will headline a panel on how students can prepare for careers in the sports and footwear business.
Another conversation will feature insights from HBCU conference commissioners.
Execs from Asics and On will also appear on stage.
In addition, Dick’s will also sponsor a tour of one of their local stores to educate students about the many career options available in retail.
“Get in the Game will feature an intense, but fun three days of networking, education and inspiration,” said Khan. “We believe this will be great for the students and the industry overall.”
The new event will take place at a critical time for the industry. Some insiders fear that footwear companies are losing ground when it comes to diversity efforts, which were thrust into the spotlight in 2020 following the murder of George Floyd.
Pensole Lewis College of Business and Design, the Detroit-based HBCU that was reopened by Dr. D’Wayne Edwards in 2021, has continued to lead the way when it comes to innovative programs, both within footwear companies and across the broader community.
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