Allaster on Campus

"It feels like yesterday that I was sitting in their seats. It's fun and energizing to sit with young, creative, optimistic minds," said Stacey Allaster, Women's Tennis Association (WTA) chairman and CEO, describing a recent stint as executive-in-residence at the Warsaw Sports Marketing Center. Honored in 2011 with the school's first-ever Warsaw-Thurston Award--for her work advancing and creating opportunities for women in the business of sport—Allaster has gone on to deepen her engagement with the Warsaw Center and Lundquist College in a variety of ways, including helping select the female MBA student who will receive this year's Warsaw-Thurston Women in Sports Business Scholarship. When asked what motivates her, Allaster offered a simple but heartfelt explanation: "I need to help the next generation because I'm very fortunate to be where I am today." Her advice to young people hoping to break into the business of sports? "Whatever you do, get some sales experience. Even if you're not selling a product, you're always selling yourself and your ideas." Allaster will also be on hand March 17 at the second annual Warsaw-Thurston Award Gala in southern California to present this year's award to Micky Lawler, head of the tennis division at Octagon, the world's largest sponsorship consulting practice.