NW Valley Times

Shelby Link is the third female president in the 10 years of GCU’s Sports and Entertainment Business Club. Photos by Ralph Freso

While Grand Canyon University celebrates its 75th anniversary, the Sports and Entertainment Business Club is relishing a special distinction.

For the third time in the club’s 10-year history, a female is leading the way.

“We've been on this GCU campus for 10 years, and we've been able to make our mark all over campus and all over the state of Phoenix,” club President Shelby Link said Monday night at the organization's annual tailgate at the Riverbed.

It is one of a slew of Welcome Week events, and the club is one of several spotlighted during the week. The Modern Boardgamers Guild will be featured at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Riverbed, and the big Club and Community Fair is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday at the Canyon Activity Center.

“It's been really incredible to watch our club grow and become what it is today. And now being a female, being able to do this, I never thought I'd be in this position my freshman year. But now coming into this, I'm excited that I can show that anybody can do this job.

“I'm just excited to represent our club as best as I can.”

To alleviate her academic load entering her senior year, Link took two classes this summer. She also served as an intern for Mesa-based Utah Royals FC of the Women’s Premier Soccer League, performing stadium operations duties from setting up goal nets to handling public address announcer responsibilities.

“It was hot but fun,” Link said. “I never worked in soccer before.”

GCU’s Sports and Entertainment Business Club Chief Marketing Officer Joe Missurelli reads a winning raffle ticket number for Arizona Diamondbacks tickets.

She also delved into her duties at State Farm Stadium, where she worked Copa America soccer matches.

The electric atmosphere at Copa matches fortified Link’s interest in landing a full-time job in stadium operations. She worked at two Super Bowls at State Farm Stadium and Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, as well as the NCAA men’s Final Four tournament at State Farm Stadium in April.

“I love stadium operations,” said Link, a native of Cottonwood, Arizona. “I love behind-the-scenes work. I love creating memories and working in a stadium. I get this feeling when I walk into a stadium—the potential excitement and memories that can be made there are immense."

Link aims to work in stadium operations similar to GCU alumnus Andrew Hudgins, manager of stadium development and operations at Allegiant Stadium for the Las Vegas Raiders.

Link and Hudgins each served as spring training interns for the Oakland Athletics; Hudgins later worked for them before joining the Raiders.

“What he’s doing is incredible,” Link said. “It’s so cool to see someone come from our club and succeed like that."

“There are many more success stories we barely touch upon; we're hoping to spotlight our alumni more this year."

Besides her academic load and part-time work at Biltmore Golf Course, Link finds time to polish her duties as Sports and Entertainment Business Club president.

“We're a community that brings together like-minded people with similar goals and aspirations," Link said. "We want them to succeed."

Link has strong support from Joe Missurelli, Chief Marketing Officer of SEBC.

“It’s great for the club,” Missurelli said. “Although our club primarily consists of men, it's open to everyone. Shelby empowers that idea—she does much behind-the-scenes work most people don't know about."

Eliza Smith hopes her internships will help her gain employment in community relations for professional sports teams.

Missurelli also prepared himself for a sports marketing career following his expected graduation next spring by interning with TEAM LAMMI—a sports marketing agency connecting Milwaukee area professional athletes with companies—and working again with Milwaukee Brewers’ ticket office during summer afternoons.

“You’ve got to be adjustable and open to new opportunities,” said Missurelli who majors in business administration.

Eliza Smith sees benefits from working consecutive summers as sports coordinator/recreation assistant for Idaho Falls Parks & Recreation Department back home.

“I want to work in community relations within professional sports," Smith said who played ice hockey during high school."Connecting those community aspects where I'm from is really cool—hopefully on a bigger level someday.”

GCU senior writer Mark Gonzales can be reached at [email protected]

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