School of Business

Center for Sport Leadership

Rafting at the U.S. National Whitewater Center
Rafting at the U.S. National Whitewater Center.

Leadership goes beyond the classroom. Community building, research and volunteerism are all integral parts of the CSL experience.

Real-world experience, real-world results

Every day, CSL students and faculty are building the future of sport — both in and out of the University setting.

The CSL student experience is about more than just the classroom. The lessons there are only a part of our curriculum. It’s crucial that our students step beyond the traditional limits of normal credit hours and connect their knowledge both to further research and to applications in the broader community.

We are more than a standard academic department; we are the Center for Sport Leadership. That means that our center is a living organization active in improving the sport industry. We teach a version of leadership that engages with industry and actively serves society.

  • Outreach: Leadership means service. One important aspect of the CSL is our dedication to community outreach. With our students taking the lead, we partner with nonprofits to create impactful, community-based sporting events. Our capstone Sport and Entertainment Event Development class requires students to organize, promote and execute on large-scale sport events for our partners in the Richmond community.  
  • Research: Research and research techniques are important to true leaders. We are dedicated to the advancement of knowledge that can make a positive impact on the sport industry. For proof, look to the impressive accomplishments of our own faculty. Students are encouraged to assist professors with research projects and pursue their own as appropriate.
  • In the industry: When our students graduate, they put the leadership skills they’ve learned to use in the sport industry immediately. CSL grads have a 92 percent job placement rate within the first six months after graduation. Upon graduation, our students have already gained valuable work experience, practiced active servant leadership through community outreach and established a foundational understanding of academic research.