Corey Hawthorne: XU Sport Management Alum Named in Cincinnati Business Courier's 40 Under 40
- XU Sport Management
- Aug 8, 2024
- 3 min read
Name: Corey Hawthorne
Current Employer: AGAR
Graduated: 2007
XU Activities:
Resident Assistant
Xavier University Basketball Manager
Xavier University Basketball Student Programming Assistant
Vice President of Black Student Association
Leadership Committee Co-Chair
Xavier X-Treme Fans member
Sports Management Club Board Member
G.O.A.L. Member (Gentlemen Organized for Achievement & Leadership)
What made you decide to attend XU and study sport management?
" I applied to to seven different schools across the country and was proudly accepted into all of them and was even offered a full academic scholarship to one, but despite the fact that Xavier was the last school that I had applied to and was not that familiar with the school compared to others I knew immediately once on campus that it was the perfect school for me. Xavier’s beautiful campus, best in class facilities, close proximity to downtown Cincinnati, and amazing faculty & staff all made the decision very easy for me.
Coming out of high school I originally wanted to study sports medicine/Kinesiology but after taking a closer look at the courses I would be required to take I then realized that my natural abilities and interests would be better suited on the business, events, and entertainment side of the sports industry, thus I quickly pivoted my focus to schools with top notch sports management programs. Xavier’s first class athletic department and close proximity to the Cincinnati Reds & Bengals made me feel confident that the Xavier sports management program would be one that could truly set me up for success in the sports industry and it did exactly that!"
Can you tell us about your current role with AGAR?
"I am the Senior Director of Experiences at AGAR where I get the privilege to manage a talented staff of event producers and brand ambassador staffing manager who all work very hard and are all extremely creative. We collectively work with various community groups, non-profits, artists, and major corporations to host some of the most elaborate and memorable events not only in the Cincinnati region but nationally."
Can you describe a class or professor at Xavier that positively influenced you?
"Both Kristi Sweeney & Doug Olberding were two key professors at Xavier that influenced me. These professors took the time to not only challenge me, but also help me see how great I could be if I remained persistent, focused, and put in the hard work that some others were not willing to do. They assured me that my steadfast efforts would pay off for me and they both remained available to me for any assistance I needed along my journey to master my career goals. Both professors not only did an amazing job teaching their craft, they also lived it and have amazing industry accomplishments and relationships that truly inspired me as a student."
What career aspirations do you have for the future?
"I would like to work with athletes early in their careers to help them realize the major impact that they can make in the lives of their communities, with young kids, and how they can inspire people going through tough life circumstances. I would also like to help athletes realize that they themselves are a brand and that they can make many financial gains from this and sometimes even more than they are compensated from their direct on field athletic talents. I also like the idea of working with NCAA athletics to help them stay focused and balancing the challenges of being a full-time student while also serving as a student athlete.'"
Do you have any advice for current sport management students?
"Yes, here were my key values that helped me achieve my career goals that I gladly pass along to my fellow Xavier sport management students:
Collect business cards and contact info like baseball cards. The more contacts you know the more people that know you.
You never know where someone may end up as the sports industry is VERY small so always be a good person and don;t burn bridges
Always work hard and give 100% as you never know who’s watching. Putting your all into the things you do will never backfire but can hurt you if you don’t even when you would least expect it.
Be kind to everyone that you come across and treat them with the same amount of respect. Regardless if they are the franchise player, head coach/manager, trainer, GM, or facility cleaning and maintenance staff, they all deserve the same respect.
Always remember that the worst someone can say is no, but they wide array of potential other responses that can lead to some many other things are endless"
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