Isabel Schwam ‘22 is applying her interests in equity and fairness to a field she is passionate about. The political science major, who also minored in Spanish, is attending the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to pursue a master’s degree in sport administration.
Schwam will spend the first year of the two-year program taking courses on legal issues in collegiate sports, collegiate sports marketing, and economic and financial management in sports. Her first year will also have a hands-on component for which she will serve as a physical education instructor to first-year undergraduate students at UNC and also assist with NCAA on-campus events.
“During my second year, I will have a full-time internship in the UNC Athletics Department and will be writing a master’s thesis,” Schwam said.
Schwam’s interest in the field of sport administration blossomed in her second semester at Haverford when she began an internship with Curran McCauley, Haverford’s current director of sports information. In that position, she created, posted, and updated rosters online, created social media content, and wrote articles. It was a job she continued for the remainder of her time at Haverford.
“I loved showing up to work with him every time I went in and I started to develop a real passion for working in sports,” she said. “This led me to want to pursue a graduate degree in this field! I also want to see sport become more inclusive and equitable, and obtaining a degree in sport administration will help me be a part of that change.”
She was later able to connect that interest in equity in sports to her political science major when she took “The Politics of Gender and Sexuality” with Associate Professor of Political Science Susanna Wing.
“[The course] helped me analyze and understand sexist practices in various sectors of society,” Schwam said. “From there, I could look deeply at the areas of sport that I want to see changed.”
Schwam, who served on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee as a student and is on the DEI Working Group in the Athletics Department as an alumni, plans to stay connected with Haverford as she enters graduate school. She is looking forward to integrating the skills that she learns at UNC to help the athletic community at Haverford.
“When I was a student at Haverford, a lot of important work got started, and I am pleased to have the opportunity to help continue with this work,” she said.
After completing her master’s degree, Schwam is considering either attending law school or finding a position in sports management. She recommends that anyone interested in sport management establish relationships via internships and communication, as they were so important in helping her find her way to UNC Chapel Hill.
“To have the opportunity to work with and learn from professors and administrators at UNC while collaborating with the students in the program who share my passion and dedication,” she said, “there is no better fit for me.”
“Where They’re Headed” is a blog series chronicling the post-collegiate plans of recent Haverford graduates.