Laura Sawyer, Ed.D.

Adjunct Professor
Department of Sport and Entertainment Management
College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management

Education
Ed.D., University of Northern Colorado
M. S., Georgia Southern University
B.S.,  University of South Carolina

Biography

Dr. Sawyer currently serves as an adjunct professor at the University of South Carolina in the Department of Sport and Entertainment Management. A native South Carolinian, she earned a B.S. in Sport and Entertainment Management from the same program in 1992. She continued her graduate education at Georgia Southern University and the University of Northern Colorado earning her Master of Science and Doctor of Education degrees respectively. Her areas of expertise include Event Management, Sponsorship and Sales.

She began her teaching career at James Madison University where she taught Sport Management at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. After relocating back to South Carolina, she served as the Executive Director of the Carolina Marathon Association and directed the 2000 Women's Marathon Olympic Trials. Upon completion of this project, she continued her teaching career at the University of South Carolina where she served as an Associate Professor for five years. Classes taught included Professional Selling, Event Management, Event Development and an Introduction to Sport Management. She also served as an adjunct professor of Event/Venue Management/Marketing at the Sport Instituut in Groningen, Holland.

Dr. Sawyer also was responsible for managing the special events for the SPTE Department. This included directing the annual International Conference on Sport and Entertainment Business, (now the SEVT conference), the Legends Golf Challenge, the Tee It Up Golf Tournament and the Dasani Spring Splash. Additionally she served on the Board of Directors for the South Carolina United States Tennis Association and the South Carolina Festival and Events Association. She worked for the Denver Broncos and also directed numerous community events including the Governor's Cup Road Race, the Carolina Marathon, and various events for the City of Columbia.

Dr. Sawyer is currently the Senior Training Consultant at Colonial Life and Accident Insurance Company and is in the Employee and Leadership Development Department.  She is responsible for executive education with an emphasis on Leadership and Management. 

Prior to Colonial Life, Dr. Sawyer was employed at Coca-Cola Bottling Company Consolidated in Sales/Training. Her responsibilities included managing contracts with the University of South Carolina and providing training across the company which encompassed eleven states. She executed training in the area of Sales, Management, and various other areas. She was certified as a trainer for both Achieve Global and the Dimensions of Professional Selling and attended the Sandler Sales Institute.

In her spare time, Dr. Sawyer likes to spend time with her family and Siberian Huskies, Kodi and Aspen. She also enjoys playing tennis, working out and watching college football.

Email:
sawyerl@mailbox.sc.edu
Office: 2012 Carolina Coliseum
Phone: (803) 777-4690
Fax: (803) 777-8788

Courses Taught:
SPTE 444 – Sport and Entertainment Event Management

SPTE 450 – Sales in Sport and Entertainment Business

SPTE 635 – Sport and Entertainment Event Development