CBA and Husker Athletics Welcome Inaugural MAIAA Cohort

Members of the first Master of Arts in Business with a Specialization in Intercollegiate Athletics Administration cohort tour Memorial Stadium on August 20.
Members of the first Master of Arts in Business with a Specialization in Intercollegiate Athletics Administration cohort tour Memorial Stadium on August 20.

The UNL College of Business Administration and the University of Nebraska Department of Athletics welcomed the nine members of the first cohort of the Master of Arts in Business with a Specialization in Intercollegiate Athletics Administration (MAIAA) on Wednesday, August 20 at the East Stadium Club in Memorial Stadium. Students were honored at a reception and given a tour of Memorial Stadium, including the new performance enhancement center.

Dr. Donde Plowman, James Jr. and Susan Stuart Endowed Dean of the College of Business Administration, said, “We could not be more excited than we are right now to start this program. What makes the intercollegiate athletics administration program at Nebraska unique is because it is housed in the College of Business Administration. After all, running a successful athletic department is about operating a complex business. Athletic Director Shawn Eichorst’s commitment to the relationship between academics and athletics is just unbelievable and this program is a testament to his commitment.”

The MAIAA program draws heavily from the more widely known MBA program and is the first program of its kind to offer a guaranteed paid internship to students in the Husker athletic department. In addition, students are required to take a seminar class to fully immerse them in all aspects of intercollegiate athletic administration. Graduates of this cutting-edge program will have knowledge of general business issues and an understanding of collegiate and professional business concerns.

“This program is going to be one of the best programs in the country because of the premiere classroom instruction combined with real-world athletic administration experience. That’s a unique combination which will prepare our students for a career in intercollegiate athletics,” said Keith Zimmer, associate athletic director for life skills and the N Club. “We are excited to partner with CBA to help provide an experience to give our students a competitive edge.”

The program includes 10 courses in addition to the internship for a total of 36 credit hours. Applications are being accepted for the fall 2015 cohort. Deadline for application is March 15, 2015. For more information, visit http://cba.unl.edu/maiaa or contact Brandon Urry at 402-472-5397 or burry2@unl.edu.

More details at: http://go.unl.edu/3t42