UCCS has program to prep for jobs with USOC, NGBs

Glenn Steimling beams as he talks about his students in the sport management program at Colorado-Colorado Springs, mentioning their variety of classes, endless opportunities for field experience and high-profile internships. He’s also realistic about their limitations.

“They’re not going to be general manager of the Broncos upon graduation,” he said.

A UCCS graduate, armed with a business degree, could land a job with the U.S. Olympic Committee or any of the 20 local Olympic national governing bodies — ardent supporters of the accredited program that has grown to 120 students since its 2008 inception.

Many UCCS students work at the Olympic Training Center, doing everything from event registration to drug testing. Others work for NGBs, attaining a “shallow and broad focus” with small organizations like USA Badminton and a “narrow and deep focus” with large groups like USA Cycling, said Steimling, assistant director of the UCCS program.

“We’re trying to prepare students for most of the typical entry-level positions,” Steimling said. “It’s not a one-size-fits-all, cookie-cutter degree. We’re trying to help them develop the most comprehensive toolbox.”

Steimling said the economic downturn has forced a “reduction in budget and funding for some of the NGBs — they’re not able to hire staff. Our students, with a vested interest in the industry, work 10 to 20 hours a week, and it fills a void.”