Your Project, Our Classroom

Texas A&M University is proud to partner with sport organizations across the globe. With this alliance and investment, Texas A&M University can provide our Capstone Experience students with hands-on and practical experience. By working with our students, this real-world experience impacts their lives as leaders and future employees in the Sport Management field.

William Filler, 2026

William Filler

I was tasked with creating a sponsorship plan for Athletes in Action and the John Wooden fieldhouse. The project was hands on and allowed me to learn a lot about sponsorship and everything that entails. I created a sales deck that allows for athletes in action to present to potential partners to fill empty spots within the fieldhouse.

Words of Wisdom

  • Have fun!

Matt Wyatt Tucker, 2025

Matt Wyatt Tucker

My Culminating experience was nothing short of amazing. I was able to meet with an amazing team every week and go over team retreat information for Athletes in Action. I was assigned a few tasks that involved doing research in multiple areas to find activities, food, and venues for future team retreat. Everyone on my team and that I spoke to within the organization was very accepting and willing to help me in my personal journey. I gained a lot of very useful information and couldn't have been more blessed to have been paired up with a great organization.

Words of Wisdom

  • Just stay the course! No matter how overwhelming school can seem, it will all be worth it in the end!

Charley Taupin, 2027

Charley Taupin

For my Capstone Experience – Business Project, I partnered with Athletes In Action (AIA), a faith-based sports ministry dedicated to developing the “total athlete" physically, mentally, and spiritually. My primary role focused on enhancing the organization’s marketing efforts through the creation of comprehensive promotional strategies for seven key events. I developed detailed marketing plans that included email campaigns, social media graphics, caption templates, posting schedules, and content guidelines tailored to each event's unique audience. These plans were designed to be reusable tools for AIA’s marketing team, streamlining their efforts for future programming. In addition to promotional planning, I completed a SWOT analysis on AIA’s Youth Flag Football League to identify ways to better compete with a dominant local league. This analysis revealed critical insights into competitor strengths and areas where AIA could grow. Overall, this experience gave me real-world exposure to sports marketing, helped me build practical tools for a professional organization, and confirmed my passion for pursuing a career in this field.

Words of Wisdom

  • Always ask questions and don't be afraid to do things on your own!

Jacob Murray, 2025

Jacob Murray

The culminating experience was something that I had a great time experiencing as a student at Texas A&M University. I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to help Athletes in Action with their event. The culminating experience program is awesome and provides students with a lot of guidance and opportunities. I would say that the business project part of the SPMT curriculum is a great idea as a whole and very helpful for the students to gain real-life, hands-on experience.

Words of Wisdom

  • Do not be scared to go for a business project that you think you might not have a chance of landing. I was nervous that I was not going to get this business project because there were multiple people interviewing for it. I was extremely excited, shocked, and grateful that I was chosen for this opportunity! 

Cameron Patek, 2025

Cameron Patek

My Capstone Experience- Business Project was working with Athletes in Action, specifically their new 65,000 square ft. facility, the Wooden Family Fieldhouse. I was tasked with developing a program plan, researching competing facilities, reviewing high school, AAU, and club schedules, developing a marketing plan, and creating an event to be run in the Spring of 2025. My supervisor, Mr. Steve Harrell, was invaluable during this project, teaching me many things and giving me quality feedback on my work. Overall, I wouldn't change anything about this experience, and I'm blessed I could be a part of it. 

Words of Wisdom

  • Always ask questions
  • Remember to have fun
  • Adapt and overcome when things don't go as planned.

Jake Wigginton, 2025

Jake Wigginton

I partnered with Athletes in Action for my Culminating Experience - Business Project. I was tasked with creating a business plan for their sports complex and how to best utilize the space. I created a yearly calendar, marketing strategies, budgets, and event write-ups. I learned a lot about time management and how to conduct proper research. I enjoyed working on this project because I am fascinated by my sports facilities, and this facility was one of the best I have ever seen. 

Words of Wisdom

  • Manage your time wisely and get ahead when you can. You will get out of this project what you put into it.

Grant Glasson, SPMT 2023

Grant Glasson

Working on this project for Athletes in Action sports facilities has been a privilege. Through my collaboration with AIA, I have identified areas for improvement and provided recommendations that will enhance the overall experience for your athletes, visitors, and staff. Working on this project has further enhanced my knowledge of my career path in working in sport facility management. I have been blessed to work with such an awesome group of people.

Words of Wisdom

  • This project has taught me to always approach any job or opportunity with an open mind and a willingness to learn. Listen to the needs and goals of the people I am working with and work collaboratively to develop solutions that meet those needs.
  • Secondly, communication is key. I have learned that communication is very important with the organization and team members to ensure everyone is on the same page and that progress is being made toward the end goal.
  • Lastly, this project has taught me not to be afraid to think outside the box and offer innovative solutions. A fresh perspective and unique ideas can often lead to groundbreaking solutions that can significantly impact an organization.

Nathaniel Evans, SMPT 2024

Nathaniel Evans

For my experience, I started off working with David Kensinger learning about marketing at Athletes in Action's sports complex and retreat center. After a few weeks of doing this, I was moved to help Matt Dunn market the Keys to Life breakfast at the Final Four in Houston. For this event, I did a lot of grassroots marketing by creating databases and sending emails to universities, media outlets, and churches. I was also given the great opportunity of going to the event in person, where I helped with operations. This experience was a once in a lifetime opportunity where I was able to grow and learn with real hands-on work.

Words of Wisdom

  • Be flexible always. 
  • Take the experience one day at a time. 
  • Ask lots of questions.