Professor Katja Sonkeng says it makes sense because of all the sports-related opportunities here, including professional baseball and hockey, the TaxSlayer Center, and the new TBK sports complex in Bettendorf.
"We actually did a feasibility study to see if it's viable to extend our program to the Quad Cities. And the survey really showed us there's a huge demand for sport management in that region. But at the same time, also the desire to stay home and local."
The graduate program requires classes for four semesters, plus an internship, and there are currently 44 students enrolled in Macomb. They come from across the country, and some foreign countries too.
Sonkeng says program graduates now work as coaches, sports information directors, athletic directors, and academic advisors.
The M.S. degree in Sport Management is now part of WIU's Department of Kinesiology, and work is underway to add an under-graduate program.