By News and Internal Communications

RIO GRANDE VALLEY, TEXAS – APRIL 28, 2025 – Trading in textbooks for team jerseys, UTRGV students got a behind-the-scenes look at the inner workings of the San Antonio Spurs marketing team.

The 47 business majors from the Robert C. Vackar College of Business and Entrepreneurship visited San Antonio on April 4 for Spurs Career Day. They spent the day learning from Spurs Sports and Entertainment (SS&E), the premier provider of sports and entertainment in South Texas, and Visit San Antonio, a business league that serves as the sales and marketing arm of the city.

Michael Flores, a lecturer in Marketing who led the UTRGV contingent, said opportunities like this give students exposure to and knowledge of what it’s like to work in the sports and tourism business world.

“Watching our students engage with world-class leaders who host global events was rewarding,” he said. “This universal experience exposed students to the complexity of the sports and tourism business.”

The students attended panels with members of the operating team with SS&E and Visit San Antonio, and agency staff members on the panels discussed topics that included growing up and succeeding in Texas, entering the sports business world, marketing an entire destination, and how to manage special events and merchandise.

Spurs Career Day SS&E panel included:

• Nancy Gonzales, Group Sales Senior Account Manager.
• Laura Perez, Assoc. Director Brand Operations.
• Liberty Swift, Sen. Director Communications.
• Luke Lujan, Culinary Experience Sen. Coordinator.
• Roly Lozano, Inclusion Programs Manager.

Visit San Antonio/RiverWalk/Final Four Team panel included:

• Sue De Lopez, Director of Marketing.
• Francisco Arrieta, Graphic Designer.
• Shelly Basaldu, Marketing Content Manager.
• Stacey Caroll, Marketing Manager.
• Ayrton Waldron, Marketing Coordinator.

BUSINESS MAJORS TAKE THE COURT

Flores said one of the personal takeaways for him was hearing the students’ questions, participating in the panels and knowing they are growing in confidence and business acumen.  

Hearing from experts in the fields students are studying at UTRGV gave marketing majors Maria Vasquez and Joel Acuña welcome inspiration as they continue their college journey.

Vasquez, a junior, said networking with leadership and listening to the experts gave her the information she needed to solidify her goals as a future marketer.

“An SS&E leader shared with me how consistency, curiosity and openness to feedback helped them rise in their career,” she said. “It reaffirmed my desire to work in a field like sports, where I can be strategic and people-focused. I feel more confident exploring those paths.”

Acuña, a senior, said he gained valuable insight when he spoke to the leadership team and was fascinated learning more about the sports marketing field and destination marketing organizations.

“This trip met expectations and exceeded them, as it opened my eyes to the sports world and helped me grow both personally and professionally,” he said. “They emphasized hard work, persistence and staying ready for any opportunity.”

After the panels, students were treated to seats to a San Antonio Spurs basketball game at the Frost Bank Center.

This trip is the second time the college has held a Spurs Career Day event. Flores said the trips are a valuable opportunity for students and give them a chance to get “first-hand experience.” 

“This universal experience exposed students to the complexity of the sports and tourism business,” he said. “Even listing this on a résumé can spark conversations with future employers and open doors after graduation.”

To learn more about the Marketing Department at UTRGV, visit https://www.utrgv.edu/rcvcobe/.