Check out the story of Brittany Cesario, a Saint Leo sport management alumna who has successfully worked in the sports industry and now handles guest relations and gameday operations for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the NFL.
"Touchdown, Tampa Bay!"
This is one of the most enjoyable sayings for Brittany Cesario, her team and the rabid fans she helps have a good time when they attend a Tampa Bay Buccaneers game.
The 30-year-old native of Hopkinton, Mass. is an alumna of Saint Leo University. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Sport Management with a Minor in Business Administration. She and her husband, Vince, have a two-year-old son with the same name.
Cesario recalls why she was intrigued to pursue her college education at Saint Leo.
"I was looking for a Tampa-based school so I could be close to my grandparents," she says. "They had a college fair at my school, and it sounded like a great option. My family and I made a trip to Florida to take a cruise, and then we visited the Saint Leo campus. I was all into being in a smaller environment, and I knew they had a well-rated sport management program there."
In terms of professors she had classes with, she particularly enjoyed those taught by Philip Hatlem and Eric Schwartz. While enrolled, she served as president of both the Alpha Sigma Tau sorority chapter and the Sport Business Association for students.
She says the core values she learned made a big impact on her future.
"I would say responsible stewardship and community service are the biggest Saint Leo core values I have today. Learning how to grow myself and my career through these core values has led me to a position in customer service. I've given back by actually connecting with other Saint Leo grads, some of whom now work for the Bucs."
She also says a good friend of hers who attended Saint Leo let her sleep on her couch when Cesario decided to move back to Tampa upon being offered a position with the Bucs.
Cesario was officially introduced to the sports industry when she landed an internship with the Buccaneers while attending Saint Leo. Since 2011, she has worked for the team in a full-time capacity and is now a premium club member relations supervisor.
"I wear two hats in this role. The first segment involves preparing for the football season and overseeing the gameday staff operations for each of our home games during the season. In the off-season, my focus is on talking with our fans and ensuring our premium members who attend games have a great gameday experience and can make good memories with their family members and friends, along with taking care of any special requests."
Her previous work experience included stints with the Manchester Wolves, which was a former arena football team, as well as with Kraft Sports Group, a New England-based events and entertainment management firm. It was Schwartz, one of her Saint Leo professors, who helped her land a job with the Wolves.
Throughout her young career, she has thoroughly enjoyed helping the customers she works with have a great time.
"This is people's free time that we're talking about," she confides. "IT's the entertainment dollar they are spending to watch football. Helping them create great memories and have fun at the games is so rewarding. It's all about appreciating the fans for supporting this organization."
Based on her own adventures working in sports, she offers up some friendly guidance to those who are pursuing a sport management or sport business degree.
"Use all of the resources you have," she advises. "Between the students and professors in your classes, there are so many connections you should have right there. You just have to have the motivation to ask and find different opportunities."