Keep in Touch! Two HRSM Graduates Benefit from Staying Connected

Once you’ve walked across the stage and received your diploma, will your connection to the University end? Or are there great benefits to staying involved? For many HRSM grads, staying connected has opened doors and enabled them to pursue opportunities they otherwise would not have know about. The phrase “keep in touch” has reaped rewards for these graduates.

Dorothy Li, a 2008 masters graduate from the Sport and Entertainment Management (SPTE) program and a native of Bejiing, China, knows the benefits of staying connected.

Li found out about a job in her hometown by staying in touch with interim chair of SPTE, Frank Roach. Professor Roach had been contacted by Sam Piccione, a 1998 graduate of SPTE, about a position at the recently opened Beijing Olympic Basketball Arena. Roach forwarded the information to Dorothy and after several phone calls she was able to go back to her hometown and start working with AEG- Asia right after graduation. As the Sales and Service Coordinator in the Marketing and Sales Department, Dorothy’s main tasks are to bridge with other departments and to prepare documents for clients, as well as sell naming rights.

“There is no way that I could have gotten this job without our College’s help. During my two years of study at USC, I learned so much and I also realized the importance of networking. Our College is one of the most valuable resources students and alumni have for their future professional development,” says Dorothy. “Some of the other benefits of staying connected with the College are keeping up with industry trends and building a network in the industry. “

Sam Piccione, the 2007 Outstanding SPTE Alumni Award recipient, serves as the General Manager of Sales for AEG- Asia. His main tasks include selling the naming rights, founding partnerships and suites at the Beijing Olympic Basketball Arena. In partnership with the NBA, he meets with local and multi-national companies to explain the great opportunities afforded by being part of the first Olympic venue in China.

For Sam, staying involved with the College allowed him to help give back to the College, department, and the professors that gave him so much over the years. “It’s not what you know, but who you know! I learned that the first day at USC in my SPTE classes. And never burn a bridge! These are very important rules about networking,” says Piccione.

If you have a story about how “keeping in touch” has impacted your career, please contact Tina Weaver, Director of Alumni Relations, at chweaver@mailbox.sc.edu or 803-777-6721.

The College of HRSM Alumni Society Board Steps Up to Assist Students

Through the generosity of the Alumni Society Board, students in the College of HRSM now have an opportunity that will support their travel, both internationally and domestically.

The Board recently established the Alumni Society Fund Scholarship whose purpose is to provide scholarships and awards for students in the College who are interested in traveling to international destinations, Maymester course destinations, and industry conferences, but are financially unable to do so. Students will be selected by the college scholarship committee. In addition to the college scholarship application, they will need to supply a letter from a faculty member that documents their financial need and their desired destination. The scholarship’s initial gifts were made by Class of 1986 alumni, Cliff Arthur and Rex Galloway. Mr. Arthur said, “I am excited to be a part of this fund because it will provide opportunities for HRSM students that didn’t exist when I was a student. I’m happy that I am now able to give back to the students in the College of HRSM. I think the Fund is a great way for all alumni to give back to the college. They know that the funds they are donating will be used to help a deserving student travel which will certainly give them an advantage when entering the world of work.”

For more information or to contribute to this important fund, please contact Tina Weaver, Director of Alumni Relations at 803-777-6721 or chweaver@mailbox.sc.edu.

MollyAnna Creator, Molly Britt, Returns to Alma Mater
Gives Retail Executive Lecture

Molly Britt, entrepreneur and founder of MollyAnna, recently spoke to students as a part of the Retail Executive Lecture Series. With the College working harder than ever these days to put students face-to-face with leading industry partners, it was a wonderful opportunity for students to be able to hear from a College of HRSM alumnus.

Molly graduated from USC in 1994 with a BS in hotel, restaurant, and tourism management. While at USC, Ms. Britt was actively involved in Greek life as a member of Chi Omega. She says it taught her a lot about leadership, being part of a team, and goal setting. After graduation she worked as an event coordinator for the Myrtle Beach Convention Center, a manager for Lone Star Steakhouse and Saloon, and as a production accountant for reality television shows like Joe Millionaire and My Big Fat Obnoxious Fiancé. She currently serves as the leading account executive for Turner Broadcasting where her responsibilities include accounting and budgeting for Adult Swim and 16 other Turner programs.

However her biggest business venture came about while she was pregnant with her daughter Anna. One morning Molly glimpsed her pregnant profile in a mirror and made a remark about her growing belly. The next morning Molly had the remark screen printed on a t-shirt and with that MollyAnna was born.

“I wore the shirt a lot in those final weeks,” Molly said. “I was amazed at the number of people who stopped me: other mothers-to-be, new moms, friends and families looking for maternity gifts. Everyone wanted to know where I got the shirt, and I knew I was on to something.”

Since 2004, MollyAnna has grown from selling a few t-shirts to having its own Web site. MollyAnna is now being carried in more than 100 boutiques in the United States and Canada. The company now offers some 40 shirt designs, including “Body by Baby” and “Birth control is for sissies.” They are also selling a line a diaper and stroller bags. Molly’s products have been featured on television and in more than 20 magazines, including “People” and some of her famous clients have included Brooke Shields, Jennifer Garner, and supermodel Heidi Klum.

July 29 Alumni Reconnect- Forest Drive Bonefish Grill 4:30-6:30 pm

Aug 2 Alumni Brunch following I-CHRIE Atlanta, GA

Aug 26 Alumni Reconnect - Savannah Bonefish Grill 4:30 -6:30 pm