During Dr. Erin McNary's Event Management course, Rodriguez met Matthew Tamindzija as a guest speaker. Months later, she joined his team. The Sport Industry Partnership (SIP), a structured component of the University of Miami's Sport Administration (SPAD) program, created the conditions for that outcome.
“While it is important to educate students on the fundamentals of event management, it is equally important to engage with our sport industry partners like Mr. Tamindzija to connect the theory to practical application. He is not only a SPAD alumni but also has experience working for the Miami Heat, Golden State Warriors, and now as the VP, Event Services & Guest Experience for the Florida Panthers,” Dr. Erin McNary said, Associate Professor of Sport Administration and Undergraduate Program Director. “We partner with professionals like Mr. Tamindzija because he genuinely cares about giving back and offering real world advice to help students on their sport business journey.”
Rodriguez is one of two SPAD students to land with the Panthers before the spring graduating class finishes the semester. Melissa Neglio, a UM undergraduate who continued into the SPAD graduate program, secured a position with the franchise as well.
"I would have never predicted after meeting Matthew Tamindjiza during Dr. McNary's class that I would be working under his team a couple of months later. This full circle moment portrays the potential of the SIP program and what it has to offer from its internships to the guest speakers brought into class almost every week,” Emily Rodriguez said. I was always told that the Sports Industry is a small world and throughout my networking experience during this program, that point has been proven over and over again and has now thankfully worked in favor."
The SPAD program integrates working professionals directly into its curriculum. Guest speakers are industry practitioners with hiring authority. The SIP program places students inside organizations before graduation, giving employers direct exposure to student work and giving students active professional networks on the way out.
“Our master’s degree in Sport Administration provides a holistic and practical approach to graduate education. Everything the students learn in the classroom prepares them for work in the field,” Windy Dees said, Professor and Graduate Program Director in Sport Administration. “We emphasize experiential learning by integrating weekly guest speakers, business conferences and professional development, and full-time industry internships into the program. Lastly, our master’s students can tap into the vast Hurricanes SPAD alumni network for the entirety of their careers.”
Graduate Program Director Dr. Windy Dees noted that Rodriguez received her offer two months before commencement, a marker of how early program placement activates relative to traditional hiring timelines. The sport industry rewards relationships built over time. SPAD builds them into the degree.
"To have secured my first full-time role in pro sports two months before graduation means everything to me,” Rodriguez said. “It is a replication of the hard work that I have instilled in everything I do from the classroom to my internship. As someone who is born and raised in Miami, FL this is truly a dream come true.
