Story: Lisa Sollie | Photo: Cody Ingram
For Sameria Minor, sports aren鈥檛 just about competition, they鈥檙e a career calling.
Minor didn鈥檛 initially set out to study sport management, but she was certain about one thing: she wanted to attend the baby直播. Her mother earned two degrees from UWA鈥攁 master鈥檚 degree in counseling in 2005 and an education specialist degree in school counseling in 2012. Minor, familiar with the University where her mother studied online, thought she would be more comfortable with the small-town atmosphere in Livingston. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a lot like Centerville, baby直播, where I grew up.鈥�
Initially an accounting major, Minor realized she didn’t like accounting. Then she discovered sport management in the course catalog, a perfect blend of her business interests and love of athletics.
鈥淥ne thing that intrigued me about the major was the focus wasn鈥檛 necessarily on the sports themselves, but the business behind them,鈥� Minor says. 鈥淢any of my classmates鈥攎ostly guys aiming to coach or train鈥攁re drawn to the sports side, but I knew that wasn鈥檛 the direction I wanted.鈥�
Her focus on the business aspects of sports led to hands-on experience that clarified her career goals. A summer internship with Bibb Medical Center’s human resources director in her hometown, helped solidify her direction.
The experience revealed how much she enjoyed collaborating across departments and serving as a resource for others. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think I want to do one thing all day, every day,鈥� she says. That insight shaped her long-term goal: working in human resources for a professional sports team.
To pursue that goal, Minor will enroll in program this spring, concentrating in human resources, so she can work while continuing her studies. 鈥淚 am lining up several interviews for human resource assistant positions back home,鈥� she says. 鈥淗opefully one of them will work out.鈥�
Her time at UWA has shaped her in ways that go beyond academics.
鈥淚鈥檓 not normally someone who jumps right in, and I struggled with that during my freshman year,鈥� she says. But that began to change her sophomore year. Since then she steadily stepped into campus life, and over the past three years she has served as a UWA student ambassador, danced on the UWA band鈥檚 dance line, joined Alpha Sigma Alpha Sorority, and held a work-study job in the Student Life office.
She said that mentoring from professors like Dr. LaJuan Hutchinson have helped her be successful at UWA.
鈥淥nce I got involved, it was easy to fall in love with this place,鈥� she says. 鈥淚鈥檓 forever grateful to UWA and my professors, especially 鈥楧r. Hutch,鈥� for their support and encouragement along the way. I feel like I found myself here, and it feels good.鈥�