Maryville University’s Rawlings Sport Business Management program recently placed almost a hundred first-year undergraduates on the pit lane of the World Wide Technology Raceway (WWTR) in Madison, Illinois. Over two intensive set-up days and the subsequent race weekends, the cohort accumulated roughly 900 on-site hours, directly assisting the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and the Enjoy Illinois 300 Cup Series events.
The arrangement is more than a weekend job; it is a deliberate immersion strategy that turns classroom theory into real-world practice. Students rotated through multiple stations—corporate sponsorship activation, fan-engagement zones, ticketing counters, and
Immersive on-site work at World Wide Technology Raceway
During the pre-event build, student crews erected barriers, draped scrim along the grandstands, and installed signage for sponsor visibility. The effort required precise coordination; teams logged an average of 6 hours per day, often working in tandem with seasoned raceway staff. When race day arrived, the same groups shifted to operations, handling ticket scans, guiding spectators, and monitoring vendor compliance. Declan O’Neil, vice president of partnership marketing at WWTR, praised the effort: “Rawlings Sport Business Management students are excellent, and we appreciate having them assist us with these national events.”
What the students learned from the front line
According to Daniel Schmidt, MBA ’16, instructor of the program, the experience exposed students to a breadth of industry-specific skills. Corporate sponsorship activation taught them how brands translate marketing spend into tangible fan experiences, while event management revealed the logistical choreography required to keep a race weekend running smoothly. The ticketing segment, often mistaken for simple sales, actually encompassed data validation, crowd flow analysis, and real-time problem solving to ensure a positive fan journey.
Sponsorship activation
Students like Karli Dean discovered that “attention to detail” can make or break a sponsor’s ROI. Small gestures—such as correctly positioning a logo banner or timing a promotional giveaway—were cited as “the little details that go a long way.”
Ticketing and fan experience
Charlie Phillips noted that ticketing “covers a lot more to make sure fans are happy and have a great experience — so they’ll come back again and again.” He learned to use digital scanners, resolve seating conflicts, and communicate politely with attendees under pressure.
Operations and logistics
Andra Alexander, who helped hang race-track scrim, reflected that the behind-the-scenes labor gave her a newfound appreciation for every element that contributes to a seamless event, whether she was on the pit lane or in the stands.
Erick Gates, set to graduate in the spring, emphasized the résumé impact: “Diversifying my resume with experiential experiences has been key.” The hands-on hours not only built technical competence but also expanded professional networks with raceway executives and corporate partners.
A partnership that’s deepened over seven years
The collaboration between Maryville University and WWTR began seven years ago and has evolved into a multi-layered pipeline for student development. In addition to the on-site assignments, the program includes classroom sessions led by raceway executives, project-based case studies, and a track record of former interns being hired into permanent roles. Schmidt highlighted that “our World Wide Technology Raceway opportunities are unique learning experiences specifically tied to the Rawlings Sport Business Management program, and we’re grateful for the confidence and trust they have in our students.”
As the partnership matures, both institutions anticipate expanding the scope of involvement—potentially integrating data-analytics projects and sustainability initiatives into future race weekends—thereby ensuring that each new cohort of students gains a comprehensive, forward-looking view of the motorsport industry.
