Hands-on experience at Dominion Energy Charity Classic

During JMU’s Fall break, students from the Hart School of Hospitality, Sport & Recreation Management had the unique opportunity to volunteer at the Dominion Energy Charity Classic (DECC), the opening round of the PGA Tour Champions Charles Schwab Cup Playoffs, at the Country Club of Virginia in Henrico. 

Throughout the week, students Dylan Grace, Ashley Ingram, Ava Jones and Jack Marshall shadowed Tournament Services Manager Kali Ryan Jones (’18) and her team, immersing themselves in all aspects of tournament operations — including ticketing, event management, communications and media relations. 

Grace focused his efforts on volunteer coordination, with responsibilities that ranged from caddying to serving as a standard bearer—an essential role that involves walking alongside players while displaying their scores. He also contributed to event setup and breakdown and assisted players with carts. “For someone who isn’t sure what career path they want to take, it was great getting to talk to people who could hire and help you in the future,” Grace said.

Events such as these afford students an inside look at the planning and attention to detail that is required to overcome whatever challenges may arise in the hosting of an event. While students gain hands-on experience in event and operations management, they also have the opportunity to further explore the careers available to them in the sport and hospitality industries. 

Ava Jones said, “Looking back, it was one of the best trips I have ever been on. I learned everything from the operations side of managing a tournament and the work that is required to make a tournament successful down to the sales view, and everything that goes into sponsorships, gifts and small details at the tournament.”

Ava Jones, alongside Ingram, made phone calls to honorary observers, captured sponsorship images and assisted with general event coordination.

While shadowing Julie Nelson, communications specialist for PGA Tour Champions, Ingram got the chance to observe Nelson’s interactions with players and to see her leadership in action. “The experience was incredibly inspiring and deepened my understanding of effective communication strategies while further motivating me to achieve my dream career in sports,” Ingram said.

Marshall, who assisted with ticketing operations throughout the week, quickly adapted to and enjoyed the fast pace of the environment, despite having to deal with unhappy fans who were frustrated by technical difficulties.“Working in ticketing was a chance to gain first-hand experience engaging with guests and understanding the flow of a sporting event,” he said.

Later in the week, students met with Bruce Kaufman (’84), the PGA Tour’s senior director of broadcasting, who provided insight into the broadcasting process and offered students a tour of the television truck. “Witnessing the live broadcast, meeting the team behind the scenes and seeing the intricate timing and coordination required for a broadcast was eye-opening,” Ingram said.

Learning from alumni has great value for students, as it provides them with real-world insights and practical knowledge that goes beyond textbooks. By sharing their experiences, successes and challenges, students get a better understanding of their future career paths.

Students also served as volunteers in the DECC Skills Challenge, where members of local Historically Black Colleges and Universities golf teams assisted junior golfers from First Tee of Richmond in driving, putting and chipping contests. They announced the players at the driving contest, measured for the putting challenge and assisted with the chipping event.

“This trip was a great opportunity for students to immerse themselves fully into a sector of the industry they may never have thought about or heard of before,” said Sport and Recreation Management Lecturer Dominic Palumbo (’19), who accompanied the students on the trip. “I am incredibly proud of all four of them for the way they represented themselves and the Hart School while pushing themselves out of their comfort zones in order to engage fully with this hands-on experience,” said Palumbo.

As the week progressed, students gained a wealth of experience and made valuable connections with industry professionals and JMU alumni, building their knowledge-base and preparing them for their future careers. Marshall shared, “We all left with the inspiration and determination to succeed in the field of sports, and we are ready to bring that back to JMU.”