As venue operations coordinator for the 2023 World Police and Fire Games, Shaun Smith helped secure more than $1 million dollars in event contracts. (Courtesy of Shaun Smith/ University of Windsor)
By Vanessa Bumanlag
Shaun Smith never imagined he would be managing multiple six-figure client accounts in the world of sports marketing.
Today, the University of Windsor graduate is an account manager at XMC, a marketing agency that develops campaigns for major sporting events and organizations, including the World Cup and Special Olympics.
From organizing Welcome Week activities to working on international sporting events, Smith credits his University of Windsor education and hands-on campus experience with preparing him for a career he never expected.
Drawn to live events and inspired by a university open house, Smith pursued a master’s degree in sport management and leadership at UWindsor after completing his undergraduate degree.
The program combined academic study with opportunities to develop leadership and interpersonal skills. His graduate research explored the role of social support following tragedy, culminating in a thesis titled The Broncos: A Social Support Approach to Team Tragedy.
“The program was specialized enough to give me the information I need to do the work, but it also helped me gain technical skills to pivot in my professional life,” Smith says.
Before joining XMC, Smith gained experience coordinating major sporting events, including the LPGA Tour’s Dow Championship and the 2023 World Police and Fire Games.
At XMC, he now develops integrated marketing campaigns for sporting events and charitable fundraising initiatives.
But some of his most valuable professional lessons came from organizing events for fellow students.
As an event and volunteer coordinator with UWindsor's Student Success and Leadership Centre, Smith helped organize campus events, including Welcome Week and Head Start.
“I had a lot of experience in live event management throughout my time at the University of Windsor,” he says. “I worked as a student staff [member] on big events such as Welcome Week and Head Start, so it helped me learn event management skills that I still apply to my job.”
That experience also taught him to adapt when plans changed.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Smith helped move student transition programming online while maintaining its focus on welcoming and supporting incoming students.
“I learned the importance of pivoting in a time of crisis,” he says. “How can we deliver our programming virtually but keep the same goals and objectives for incoming students?”
Working with students from different backgrounds, including through intramural sports, also strengthened his communication and collaboration skills.
“Working on the World Cup, it allowed me to see how interconnected our communities are, and the importance of collaboration across different cultures,” Smith says.
“In working environments, you all have different objectives, all with different perspectives. I learned how to work collaboratively to get everyone to the finish line.”
Smith encourages current students to seek opportunities beyond the classroom, build professional relationships and put their knowledge into practice.
“Get out of the classroom and talk to people. Not only is the degree important, but so is your ability to use soft skills and self-management skills,” he says.
“I never knew I was going to work in marketing, and through the fundamentals learned in my undergraduate [studies] and the theories I learned from my master's, I am able to excel in my current position.”
Among his current projects is a Special Olympics fundraising campaign focused on nutrition and community education about physical and mental well-being.
For Smith, the greatest reward comes from seeing how sport can bring people together and make a difference in their communities.
“That's why I went into sport management,” he says. “I believe in what sports can do for society. It connects a vast number of people to work towards one collective goal.”