Secure The Bag - University of Maryland Athletics

Nov 02, 2024

Hosted by Maryland Made in partnership with One Maryland Collective, “Secure the Bag” was held at Gossett Hall on Oct. 28, providing student-athletes networking opportunities with industry experts.

Student-athletes gained information about career opportunities and Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) deals that they can take advantage of while at the University of Maryland.

Led by Sydney Anderson, Maryland’s Coordinator of Student-Athlete Development, the Maryland Made team brought in more than 30 different organizations to engage with over 120 student-athletes.

“You would be surprised how many different organizations are willing to help with the holistic development of student-athletes,” Anderson said. “My team placed a call to action, and numerous companies came forward ready to engage with our students on a local, national and global scale. The relationships that they are able to build are mutually beneficial, and we are excited to continue to evolve with them.”

The University of Maryland Athletic Department prioritizes educating student-athletes on the various opportunities available through NIL. These NIL deals allow student-athletes to profit from their notoriety.

Omari DeBerry, Maryland’s Director of NIL Services, explained that student-athletes don’t have as much time as other students to network in professional settings. However, “Secure the Bag” allowed them to explore both professional careers and NIL experiences.

“Between practice, games, travel and coursework, student-athletes may find it difficult to balance sports, academics and forging a future career path,” DeBerry said. “But, NIL allows them to get paid while being brand ambassadors for companies. These NIL opportunities help students foster good working relationships with companies that can lead to future jobs.”

NIL can supply careers ranging from the traditional to the creative, including social media marketing or influencing. Furthermore, NIL doesn’t just help student-athletes with career readiness; it teaches them skills that will be very important in their adult lives.

Helping student-athletes network with companies is essential to their career readiness. Incorporating NIL into this process creates space for student-athletes to show up authentically. “Secure the Bag” upholds Maryland Made's vision to empower student-athletes to explore their potential and pursue their passions.

“This event was so helpful because now I have so many new contacts, and I made so many different connections from all different types of companies,” said Madison Trout, a junior on the women’s track and field team. “I talked to people that I never thought I would talk to and also companies that I was not necessarily interested in at first glance.”

Kate Illuminati, a special agent for the United States Secret Service, emphasized how events like “Secure the Bag” are an excellent way for companies to scout potential employees, especially for the Secret Service.

“It’s a great opportunity to speak to the student-athletes who are the perfect applicants for us,” Illuminati said. “We’re looking for people who have time management skills, who have teamwork ingrained in them, and honestly, student-athletes are who we’re looking for.”

In fact, the Secret Service has a program called “Get in the Game.” It’s for college athletes who want to be recruited for a special agents program.

Other companies used the event to find student-athletes with whom they could partner for NIL opportunities.

“We already have 19 female Playa athletes with NIL deals right now, with no male ambassadors,” said Ty Hill, a representative for Playa Bowls. “My target was to appeal to some male athletes seeking deals..”

Marland Made events like “Secure the Bag” are a great way to ensure that student-athletes get the support they need to find career opportunities, gain NIL experience and develop a skill set to prepare them for the future.

Maryland Athletics would like to extend sincere gratitude to the companies who attended. The event would not be possible without the support and collaboration of:

See you all next year!

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