“It was important for me to go abroad to expand my global perspective. I have always wanted to travel to Europe, and studying abroad was the perfect way to both experience European culture while also learning about the way Germany and the Czech Republic run their sports organizations,” reflected senior exercise science major Laney Simons on the European Model of Sport program.
Led by the College of Education and Human Ecology, students attend lectures from European sport executives, engage in student workshops, participate in organized class discussions and activities and tour sport facilities among other cultural activities.
“Being an exercise science major interested in sports related physical therapy, the European Model of Sport provided me with the chance to learn about how big sports organizations operate. This will help me to understand the business side of my potential future career path in professional sports.”
The structure and characteristics of European sports, marketing and management in European sports, sports law and professional soccer are just some of the complex topics and issues the students are exposed to firsthand.
“From this experience I learned that I love experiential learning. Having the opportunity to tour major stadiums and talk to highly successful professionals allowed me to ask questions and directly engage in a professional field I'm interested in,” said Simons.
“Having never been to Europe before, the European Model of Sport was already a memorable experience. The opportunity to explore German and Czech culture by taking walking and biking tours of the city was a great way to immerse ourselves within the cities we visited and expand my global perspective.”