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Hello! I'm Scott

 

My passion is to be involved, and share my involvement, on policy and decision-making in intercollegiate athletics. I am an assistant professor, communications professional, and a scholar that investigates financial decisions in college sports. 

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Scott Hirko, Ph.D.

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR & CONSULTANT

Athletics Leadership, Policy & Decision-Making,
Financial Researcher, Database Management, Communications & Public Relations 

 

Phone:

517-488-2819

 

Email:

hirkoscomsu@gmail.com
 

Address:

3040 Staten Ave. #9
Lansing, MI. 48910

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Online profile:

Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics

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EXPERIENCE
EXPERIENCE
2018-current

Assistant Professor

Director, Sport Management Program

DEFIANCE COLLEGE

  • Instructor for undergraduate courses.

  • Developed new syllabi and field experience/internship guide

  • Revising curriculum to meet industry standards

  • Extensive advising of all sport management students

  • Classes taught include: Introduction to Sport Management, Sport Economics, Sport Marketing, Sport Law, Field Study/Internship in Sport
      â€‹

2006-current

Associate, Communications and Research

KNIGHT COMMISSION ON INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS

  • Participated in two national webinars (Sessions 1 & 2) on financial decision-making relating to "Transforming the NCAA-I Model."

  • Led report by CliftonLarsonAllen about impact of FBS football factors on NCAA Division I Revenue Distribution.

  • Organize meetings, provide/analyze data and research as staff support to Financial Transparency/Database Oversight Committee.

  • Assist with scholarly research, public relations efforts, and outreach at conferences and meetings.

  • From 2018-current, project manager for College Athletics Financial Information (CAFI) database (cafidatabase.knightcommission.org).  Led redesign, decision-making, hiring process for consultants, statistical compilation and analysis, and nationwide marketing effort.

  • Project manager for online Academic and Athletics Spending Database for NCAA Division I from 2013-2018.

  • Lead assistant on Restoring the Balance: Dollars, Values, and the Future of College Sports (restoringbalance.knightcommission.org) released on June 17, 2010:  provided analysis, reviewed content, and created graphs of revenue and expense data in college athletics.

  • Analyzed data to create policy initiatives relating to academic performance and renegotiated revenues from major football television contracts – accepted by the Bowl Championship Series, with an annual impact of $37.5 million.

  • Presented research and analysis comparing academic progress and NCAA revenue distribution of Division I men’s basketball teams, endorsed by U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan on March 17, 2011 and used to develop regulations adopted by the NCAA membership.

  • Directed, edited, and maintained the Restoring the Balance multimedia online report and assisted design of print report. 

  • Led development of current and past Knight Commission websites and outreach tools to stakeholders.  

2010-2018

Assistant Professor/Instructor

2014-2016

Director, Sport Management Program

2000-2001

Assistant Athletic Director/Director of Athletics Communications and Marketing

1999-2000

Assistant Director/Athletics Communications and Marketing

1998-1999

Public Relations Assistant

CENTRAL MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY 

  • Instructor for undergraduate and graduate courses. 

  • Lesson plans included theoretical and practical applications of the sport industry, with hands-on work in the industry. 

  • Areas of focus included: Understanding & identifying leadership, organizational behavior and management in college sports, with a practical focus on communications/social media, marketing, governance, and political practices.

  • Classes taught included: Sport Analytics, Sport Communications, Sport Finance, Sport Fundraising, Sport History, Sport Marketing, Research Methods in Sport, Introduction to Sport Management. 

  • Periodic assessment of individual students, of groups, and of myself to gauge and enhance student learning.

  • Online technology used with assignments and communication with students.

  • Extensive advising of graduate and undergraduate students.
     

CENTRAL MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY

  • Led faculty meetings relating to student and program needs, including working with student groups, funding and scholarship requests, and other marketing concerns. 

  • Led faculty in COSMA accreditation process; accreditation approved by COSMA in February 2015.

  • Created and led a strategic planning process to meet student and program needs based on specific goals and objectives.

  • Worked with Institutional Research to identify admissions, retention, diversity trends, and concerns within the student population.

  • Secured support from president and provost for accreditation.

  • Helped lead creation and implementation of new curriculum

  • Wrote new syllabi and aligned course learning outcomes to curricular objectives in response to industry needs.

  • Created a results-based system to identify benchmarks to meet program goals.

  • Collected, analyzed and reviewed data annually in retreats.

  • Assigned classes (and classrooms) for instructors.

  • Discussed compliance with state and federal regulations with faculty. 

  • Led the mentoring and advising of 300+ undergraduate students through change in the curriculum.

  • Led the writing of the accreditation document, its response, and subsequent approval. 

  • Responsible for program updates to the accreditation agency.

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OLIVET COLLEGE

  • Primary communications liaison (sports information director) and managed game day operations, and statistician for all intercollegiate sporting events.

  • Directed all marketing and promotional activities for athletic programs.

  • Hired and supervised game day administration staff.

  • Created a self-sustaining budget. 

  • Directed national publicity, coordinated media for 2000 NCAA III Golf Championships.

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MICHIGAN TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY

  • Primary communications liaison (sports information director), managed game day operations, and statistician for ice hockey, football, basketball, and tennis. 

  • Responsible for administration of athletic contests, including direction of student assistants, contracting referees, and coordination of promotional and public entertainment activities.

  • Supervised game day administration staff.

  • Wrote press releases, game programs, and created publicity materials for each sport.

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WEST COAST CONFERENCE

  • Primary communications liaison (sports information director) for baseball, women’s basketball, volleyball, golf, tennis, soccer, cross country, and rowing.

  • Wrote press releases and created publicity materials for each sport.

  • Designed and maintained website, including live cybercasts and merchandise sales. 

  • Created visual aids for championship events.

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EDUCATION
EDUCATION
2011

Ph.D., Higher, Adult, & Lifelong Education

MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY

Dissertation topic: Using sanctioned athletic programs to understand stakeholders' perceived influence in decisions at major research universities

Graduate Student Leader of the Year, Department of Student Life (April 2007).

1998

Master of Arts, Sport Administration

CENTRAL MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY

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2000

Bachelor of Science,
Political Science/Social Science

MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY

EDUCATON
IN THE MEDIA

September 30, 2020.  Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics.  "A New Analysis of the D-I Revenue Distribution Formula Inequities."

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September 16, 2020.  Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics.  "Follow the Money: Breaking Down D-I Finances."

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March 2, 2018:  Fort Worth Star Telegram. "Texas colleges are bleeding cash on athletics programs — and you're paying for it." 

April 4, 2014: Inside Higher Ed. “Academic gap in athletics spending.”

December 6, 2013: Red & Black. (Athens, GA).  “SEC outspends nation on athletes” 

August 16, 2017:  ACPA - Higher Ed Live. “Partnerships to promote student athletes’ academic success.”

January 25, 2014: WCHL 97.9 FM (Chapel Hill, NC).  “Sports Focus” interview with Mary Willingham. 

November 27, 2013: KJZZ Radio (Phoenix, AZ). “Stakes and salaries are high for college coaches.” 

MEDIA
SKILLS
SKILLS

Lobbying

SPSS

Microsoft Excel, Word, Power Point

Adobe InDesign, Illustrator

HTML, Database/Website Management

French (Intermediate)

CONTACT
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