Spotlights
10 Questions with Alumna Andrea McConnell
Name, Grad Year, Current Job Title
Andrea McConnell ’17, Event Manager for Seattle Seahawks/Lumen Field
Where was your favorite place to eat on or off campus?
Kliener and Kirkof were definitely some of my favorite places to eat on campus. Peppino's was another favorite off campus!
Favorite place at GVSU to hang out with friends?
My best friends were some of my teammates, so we spent lots of time together in the Fieldhouse or the off-campus apartments.
Favorite class?
This is a harder question to answer than I thought it would be! I enjoyed so many of my classes (part of how I knew I was in the right major!) but PED 376 was probably my favorite. MOV 201 & 202 were also top contenders!
Favorite internship?
Event Coordinator for the West Michigan Sports Commission
Favorite sports team/event? (GVSU and non-GVSU)
Seattle Seahawks always and forever! GVSU Football and Grand Valley Cheer teams will always have a special place in my heart as well though!
What does your current day-to-day look like?
My day-to-day really just depends on what time of year it is! Right now, we’re ramping up for Sounders FC and Seattle Reign FC seasons to get underway, but we also have two dirt shows (SuperCross and Monster Jam) right around the corner. It’s a lot of working with the clients to make sure they’re ready for their events; getting staffing scheduled, communicating with all the stadium departments to make sure everyone has all the information they need, lots of emails and meetings fill the days. This summer we have a few stadium concerts sprinkled in and then we’re right back into football in August!
What is your favorite part of your job?
Being part of creating memories for the fans. I love to hear stories of guests first Seahawks games or first Reign match or something that was just memorable to them. It’s an exciting industry and being a part of the fans experience makes all the long hours worth it!
How did you land your current role?
I honestly have wanted to be an Event Manager for the Seahawks since I was in college. It was always my dream job, so I just kept an eye out for-job postings, found ways to network, and met impactful people. My previous job interacted with the Seahawks hospitality team so I positioned myself to be their point of contact so I could make meaningful connections, I joined the WISE (Women in Sports and Events) and networked with other members as well. As soon as I saw the job posting, I applied and reached out to the contacts I had made and hoped I made a memorable impression.
Favorite thing you have done/worked on in your role?
This is a hard one because I’ve been a part of so many cool events here. This last summer, Seattle hosted MLB All-Star week and Lumen Field was where the Play Ball Park fan festivities took place. It was amazing to see our stadium completely transform into something we haven’t seen before and to be part of a cool non-football, non-soccer related event. I also thoroughly enjoyed the Monday Night Football 2022 season home opener against the Denver Broncos. The stadium energy was incredible and just an exciting way to start the season!
Any advice or inspiration for current Sport Management students?
Get involved, don’t be afraid to get out of your comfort zone, and keep trying. This industry isn’t always easy to break into, but once you do, it’s such a fun experience to be a part of. It took me awhile to finally break out of corporate events and into sports, but it was so worth it. Just keep putting yourself out there and making those connections!
Share this spotlight
Return to the listing of spotlights.