Alyssa Felty, a recent Lock Haven University (LHU) graduate, was recently named director of events at Penn State University (PSU). Felty graduated from LHU in May with a Master of Science in Sport Management after completing her Bachelor of Science in Sport Management in 2021.
In her new role at PSU, Felty, of Annville, will organize the logistics and facilitation of athletic events for the men's and women's soccer and lacrosse teams. This includes set-up; collaboration with visiting teams; assisting with supervision of facility operations; working with internal and external athletic groups like security, EMS, and parking; and assisting with football gameday duties as assigned.
"I am most excited about being a part of the Penn State atmosphere and family and to be having a big part in the continued success of Penn State athletic events," Felty said.
"When I was at LHU, I was very involved with the Sport Management Club and a social sorority on campus," she added. "From being in the Sport Management Club I had the privilege of going on various trips to gain experience within the sport industry."
The Sport Management Club and Sport Studies Department provides students with experiential learning opportunities. Opportunities in the past have included events such as working at the National College Football Championship, the Super Bowl, NCAA Men's Final Four, Formula I, and others.
"One piece of advice I would give to other students is to make sure you take every opportunity given to you to gain experience in the sport industry," Felty said. "Don't wait until your senior year to gain real life experience, do it now!"
The Sport Management program at Lock Haven offers both bachelor's and master's degrees, as well as an accelerated program for eligible students in the undergraduate program, which allows students to earn their master's degree in approximately four years and an additional semester. The sport studies master's program is a completely online delivery, which allows for many of the students to finish their field experiences or obtain jobs, while completing their degree.
"By being online, I was still able to work my 40 hours per week internship, which helped me gain more experience in the industry," Felty said.
Before becoming the director of events, Felty wasan event management intern where she assisted with almost every sporting event at Penn State. In May, Felty was presented the "White Award" for "displaying passion, pride, and spirit, which helps raise the morale of the entire Penn State Athletic Department and the community it serves."
"I am incredibly thankful for the opportunities and experiences I've gained being an undergrad and graduate student at LHU," Felty said. "It's because of LHU that I now get to pursue my dream career at Penn State University."
