For my Senior Capstone Experience, I was fortunate to land a dream opportunity at Thuzio, a private event startup that caters to a business-oriented membership crowd. It was this organization that taught me invaluable lessons for the industry, provided an in-depth and hands-on internship experience, and heavily prepared me for the future I wanted in the sport industry.
The opportunity to work full-time at Thuzio after my Capstone was unfortunately not an option at the time, so I secured a similar position at another company. Within a few months, I was looking for new opportunities and fortunate to re-connect with Thuzio’s director of operations, who was seeking event-day assistance. I was eager to lend a hand! After my third event, they offered me a position in sales, with the promise of transitioning into event operations.
Fast forward two years and I am now the event manager at Thuzio in New York City responsible for planning, producing and executing more than 100 corporate events each year across 10 U.S. cities featuring world-renowned athletes. The role heavily includes managing events across each market and overseeing venues, vendors and partner activations to meet Thuzio’s premium hospitality standards. As the industry is turning virtual, we are able to pivot the in-person events to virtual talent appearances and interactive experiences.
My advice for students and graduates is to keep your network up to date. I can recite the top lessons learned at Syracuse, but the one that always resonated was the importance of creating and maintaining your network. When you meet an industry professional, be sure to ask for their contact information and then check in with them. You never know who you may run into later in you career who can help you. Relationships are vital to this industry. I would not be in the position I am today if I had not maintained my relationships and connections at Thuzio. Relationship building never stops.
