CHARTING THE COURSE SINCE 1961
“We may have all come on different ships, but we're in the same boat now.”
- Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
GRADUATES TAKE THE SPORTS MARKETING WORLD BY STORM
Three dynamic, female graduates of the College of Coastal Georgia Lindsey Licitra, Lauren Stillman, and Kelly Buker are making their mark in the world of sports marketing and entertainment. After excelling in their academic pursuits at the College, they transitioned into the professional arena, bringing their skills, knowledge, excitement, and ideas to the industry and their respective organizations. These young professionals are not only breaking barriers, but are also setting the example for future generations of men and women in sports marketing.
During their time at the College, they all took Professor Scott Williamson’s Sports Marketing course. Williamson is a professor of practice in marketing and communications. The three women are doing what Williamson described as the ideal situation for any professor, which is to see former students take what they’ve learned, and go out and live it.
Kelly Buker, Class of 2023
By Tiffany King
Buker is originally from Miami, but was raised in Cooper City, located outside of Fort Lauderdale, in Florida. While earning her bachelor’s in marketing at the College, she was a Mariner golfer, and now has a career involving the game she loves. Buker is currently the account executive in corporate merchandise sales for Legends Global Merchandise, in their golf and tennis department. Her department is the liaison between Partner/Corporate Hospitality Clients and vendors.
“Partners and Corporate Hospitality Clients are companies that purchase a chalet/skybox at an event we are a partner with. This might be a one-time tournament, or they have a multi-year contract with the PGA of America,” Buker said. “Even more narrowly, my team is responsible for providing white glove service of dual-logo corporate merchandise for them.”
After graduating from the College, Buker furthered her education at the University of Georgia. She graduated this past summer with a Master of Arts in Journalism and Mass Communication with a concentration in public relations. Her main advice for students who may want a similar career is to network.
“Network, network, network! I graduated with a 3.8 in both my programs, and had a lot of extra-curricular activities and jobs outside of it, but the job hunt is no joke. At UGA, our convocation speaker, who could be compared as an equivalent of the valedictorian for the class, applied to 90 jobs and heard back from five. Those were not all a yes! Ninety percent of the recent grads I know have their job because they had some sort of connection to the company,” she said. “The job market is tough, but you have to treat it like a marathon, not a race. So, start early, even before you graduate. Working professionals are never opposed to helping someone gain industry insight. So, reach out to anyone you think could be helpful.”
In fact, Buker’s job came about through networking. A past supervisor/ mentor had a connection with her now-supervisor, and knew Buker was on the job hunt. At that time, the supervisor was looking for someone to add to the team, and Buker was a great fit.
Buker now works remotely, beginning her day at 8 a.m., and by midmorning, she checks in with her supervisor. Her schedule varies from day-to-day, but mostly consists of virtual meetings and answering emails. Legends has 40,000 employees across the globe that her department is constantly in communication with.
“If I’m traveling for work, it is never the same schedule. The most consistent thing I could describe would be that meetings make up the majority of the time. Next year, I will be traveling 22 weeks out of the year,” Buker said. “This will consist of being on-site at championships we work, as well as private showroom meetings with our clients in New York City and Charlotte.”
This past year, Buker mostly travelled to events put together by the host company of the tournament, and met with partners and clients. The locations of golf tournaments change every year, so it’s never the same.
When asked what is something she learned during her time at Coastal that has been useful in her current career, Buker said learning Microsoft Excel. She used the program a lot during undergrad and grad school, saying, “In corporate America, that is the bible for staying organized.”
Prior to starting her full-time job, she got a feel of as many areas of the business behind the golf industry as possible.
“It not only helped build my resume, but I gathered so much perspective on what I want to do as a whole,” she said. “You don’t have to know what you want to do for the next 40 years, but branching out definitely helps narrow it down!”
Read more about their career journey in sports marketing and entertainment here.
LINDSEY LICITRA
ALUMNI HOST CONSERVATION BIOLOGY CLASS AT UGA MARINE EXTENSION
The College of Coastal Georgia’s Conservation Biology class, taught by Dr. Tate Holbrook, interim chair of the Department of Natural Sciences and professor of biology, recently visited the University of Georgia Marine Extension (MAREX) and Georgia Sea Grant’s Brunswick Station for a special hands-on learning experience in conservation.
They were hosted by the MAREX Coastal Ecology Lab, led by long-time collaborator Dr. Kimberly Andrews and four staff members who are Coastal Georgia alumni: Josh Billings (B.S. in Biological Sciences, 2021), Madison Barnard (B.S. in Environmental Science, 2022), Tanner Barwick (B.S. in Biological Sciences, 2023), and Abbey Crossman (B.S. in Biological Sciences, 2024).
The Coastal Ecology Lab conducts applied research on reptiles to better understand the health and behaviors of these animals in response to development and other human activities. Students learned about the group’s work in gopher tortoise conservation, and got to practice research methods including measuring tortoise morphometrics and using radio telemetry to track animals.
The College of Coastal Georgia is grateful for our partnership with Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant, which benefits current students and graduates alike!
Dr. Tate Holbrook with College of Coastal Georgia alumni (right to left) Madison Barnard, Abbey Crossman, Tanner Barwick, and Josh Billings.
An Environmental Sciences Program Fundraising Event
Friday, February 21, starting at 5 p.m.
Campus Center Roof Top
Cost: Alumni $35 (single)/ $60 (two); $50 (single)/$85 (two)
Coastal Georgia’s Environmental Science Program is hosting its second annual Salty’s Shrimp Boil & Shanties on the Roof fundraising event. Please join us to be a part of an evening dedicated to sharing inspiring stories of student success and fostering meaningful relationships with community partners. Your attendance not only promises an enjoyable evening, but also contributes to the growth and success of the program. Secure your spot and support the future of environmental education.
Purchase tickets here.
See auction/raffle items here.
Learn more about sponsorship opportunities here.
SNOW DAYS AT COASTAL GEORGIA
MARK YOUR CALENDAR: FEB. 2025
BLACK HISTORY MONTH KICKOFF EVENT, 1 P.M. 4 P.M. ON THE SAC LAWN.
Various Black History Month events took take place throughout Feb. Click here for more information
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL VS AVE MARIA AT 5:30 P.M. IN COFFIN GYM
MEN’S BASKETBALL VS AVE MARIA AT 7:30 P.M. IN COFFIN GYM
COASTAL SCHOLARS SHOWCASE, 9 A.M. TO 4 P.M., IN CORRELL HALL, 2ND FLOOR CLASSROOMS
SOFTBALL VS THOMAS AT 12 P.M. AND 2 P.M., AT BRUNSWICK HIGH SCHOOL 7
FEBRUARY FIRST FRIDAY TENT TAKEOVER, 5 P.M., IN DOWNTOWN BRUNSWICK, LOCATED AT MACHEN SQUARE EAST, IN BETWEEN ARTE PIZZA AND CUNNINGHAM JEWELERS
WOMEN’S GOLF VS COASTAL GEORGIA WINTER INVITATIONAL, ON JEKYLL ISLAND
MEN’S AND WOMEN’S TENNIS VS ABRAHAM BALDWIN AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE, 1 P.M. AT MARTA TORREY TENNIS COMPLEX
SALTY’S SHRIMP BOIL & SHANTIES ON THE ROOF, 5 P.M.
Location: Campus Center Roof Top
Cost: Single Ticket: $50/$80 for two
Alumni: $35/$60 for two
Purchase tickets here
For sponsorship opportunities, click here.
Check out the College of Coastal Georgia Calendar for more events.
STAY IN TOUCH
We would love to stay in touch with you. Please tell us about yourself and what you’ve been up to after college. Update your contact information here.
Questions? Contact alumni@ccga.edu.
