Double Gull Leading the Way in Sport Leadership
At its core, Endicott College is an incubator for bold, entrepreneurial ideas steeped in a tradition of real-life educational opportunities. We help our students forge their own paths, including in the fast-paced world of athletics.
As a “Double Gull,” Jameson Pelkey ’07 M’09—who has a Bachelor of Science in Sport Management and a Master of Education in Athletic Administration—perfectly resembles that Endicott spirit as the new athletic director at St. John’s Prep in Danvers, Mass.
Jameson Pelkey '07 M'11 began his tenure as the
new athletic director at St. John's Prep in July of 2019.
Endicott College’s master’s program since has transformed into a Master of Science in Sport Leadership, but it still offers students like Pelkey the opportunity to pursue their passions and take the next step in their careers.
“The master’s program has been icing on the cake in regards to furthering my education and growing those connections with professors and people who I was taking these courses with,” says Pelkey. “You build up a network of people you can turn to and rely on when needed. So I’m fortunate to have been a part of it.”
Students have the benefit of being guided directly by Director of Graduate Athletic Administration, Anthony D’Onofrio, who provides personal advising and job placement support. All courses are 100 percent online with flexible schedules—if you need to take a break at any time or if your schedule gets too hectic, they understand—and are taught by expert faculty.
“Being able to work with those professors through those specific courses was extremely helpful because they are professionals in their line of sports,” says Pelkey.
And the networking and collaboration opportunities never end, as he added, “I’m in the situation where I can reach back out to those individuals to ask a question or shoot an idea off of them. To be able to communicate with them is extremely helpful and it’s been a great resource to have those people with their expertise and opinion.”
Sport leadership students also have the benefit of job placement support, as 95 percent of graduates have scored a job in the sports industry. These include places like Johns Hopkins University, Learfield Sports, Peloton, the NFL, the NCAA, the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, and many, many more.
Personally, Pelkey has risen through the ranks at St. John’s Prep, starting as a semester-long intern through Endicott’s nationally-recognized internship program. He remained at St. John’s Prep following his undergrad experience, and he also served as the assistant athletic director for grades six through eight prior to his recent promotion.
For those considering a career in sports, Pelkey has some wise words of advice: “If someone has a passion for sports and that’s what they want to do for a living, it’s 100 percent a no brainer for them to get involved with that program and to explore it from there.”
To learn more about Endicott’s change to a Master of Science in Sport Leadership and how the evolved program can help you score a dream job in sports, visit vanloan.endicott.edu.