Spenser Shanman

I'm a 20 year old junior at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. I'm a Sport Management major.

When I was in 11th grade, my father told me he never graduated college. I was shocked by this, how could my father, one of the smartest people I know, not have graduated college? He started his own freaking mortgage business, yet he never even got a degree. He said it was one of his biggest regrets of his life. From that day on, I promised myself I would be the first man in my family to receive a degree. Part of me wanted to make up for my father's failure. He said the worst part about not graduating college was the lack of career choices he had. He told me that he doesn't care what I get a degree in, as long as it’s something I love.

For me, that love was basketball.
I grew up watching the New Jersey Nets and have been rooting for them ever since Jason Kidd joined the team. Basketball has always been a passion of mine, unfortunately I was cut from the high school team after my freshman year. As devastating as that was, it didn't stop me from being involved in the game; I volunteered to coach in a local recreational league, I still played with my friends as often as I can, and I followed the NBA religiously.

Once I got to college, I worked hard and applied to the Sport Management program in Isenberg, in which I was accepted. My goal is to find an internship with a professional organization, and one day work my way up to a front office position. Until then, I will be volunteering for any opportunity that comes my way, playing/watching basketball as often as I can, and not give up on my goal.