Media Contact: Mark Lloyd, 312-344-7524, mlloyd@colum.edu
Chicago, June 2, 2003 - Columbia College Chicago, the nation's largest visual, performing and media communication college, has created a new Sports Management Program within its Arts, Entertainment & Media Management Department. The announcement was made last week at the annual Charity Bash of the Make a Dent Foundation.
According to Dennis Rich, chair of college's arts management department, Columbia has unique experience in entertainment management education. We already teach content in the fields of audience building, box office management, special events, facility management and copyright protection, as well as labor relations, career and talent development, crisis management, broadcasting and media management, merchandising and retail management, and entrepreneurship.
This programmatic experience will be a strong competitive advantage to develop one of the most compelling programs in the nation, Rich said.
Richard Dent and Dan Jiggetts, former Bears football players, have accepted invitations to co-chair the Advisory Committee for Columbia's new Sports Management program.
Richard Dent's Make a Dent Foundation also announced a $15,000 contribution to Columbia to provide scholarships for deserving students in sports management. The college will match the foundation's gift.
There are many careers for talented and creative individuals in sports as sports managers, as marketers, as team executives, as promoters, as merchandisers, as stadium manager, Dent said. The new Sports Management program at Columbia is designed to give young people a chance to combine their interest in sports with an opportunity to become leaders in the business of sports management.
Dr. Warrick Carter, president of Columbia College, said that the college hopes that its program will become a national model that can attract support from the NFL, the NBA, the NHL, Major League Baseball virtually all professional sporting organizations ... to enhance opportunities for individuals, regardless of color or ethnic background, to move into front office jobs, managing the complex, multi-billion dollar sports enterprise in this country.