UMD’s Sports Management Program is Dedicated in Moving Celebration Hosted by Smith

The ceremony to dedicate the Stephen M. Schanwald Sports Management Program began with a video of the program’s namesake, Steve Schanwald ’77. The former executive vice president of business operations for the Chicago Bulls, whose career spanned the Michael Jordan era and beyond, spoke about what inspired him to give so generously. He said, “I thought it was a shame that a major university like the University of Maryland, one of America’s great universities, did not have a sports management program.” Now, just a couple of years after it began, the historic program is preparing, training and graduating future sports industry leaders.

In his opening remarks, Smith School Dean Prabhudev Konana thanked Schanwald for his transformative gift–an $8 million commitment to Smith and $10 million to Maryland Athletics. “At the Robert H. Smith School of Business, we’re always creating new opportunities to prepare students to lead in business. Many of these ideas become reality because of proud alumni. Steve Schanwald is one of those alumni,” said the Dean. The sports management program is based at Smith, but is a collaboration between the business school, Maryland Athletics, the School of Public Health’s Department of Kinesiology and the Shirley Povich Center for Sports Journalism. 

Vice President for University Relations and President of the University of Maryland College Park Foundation, Jim Harris, echoed the Dean in emphasizing that the past fiscal year was the most successful fundraising year in University of Maryland history. It was also the most successful in the Smith School’s fundraising history. He told Schanwald, “Neither would have happened without your support, Steve, so we really want to thank you for that.”

Sincere, heartfelt gratitude permeated the entire ceremony with person after person taking to the podium to detail the impact of Schanwald’s generosity. The program launched with only 25 students, and Zoe Melonas ’25 was one of them. She’s now a membership coordinator at USA Lacrosse and is part of the Washington Commanders’ premium events game day staff. Melonas has gone from interning to working in professional sports, but said the heart of her experience has been the Schanwald Sports Management Program. Like Schanwald, her training began in Maryland Athletics. “I can’t wait to see what’s ahead for the next generation of Terps as they step into the sports industry carrying forward the same Maryland spirit that launched Steve’s journey and mine,” she said.

Current sports management student Vinay Kumar, Class of ’26, remarked on how the program has opened so many doors for him, and he extended his deep gratitude for Schanwald’s generosity. “Your commitment to students like us goes far beyond financial contributions. It’s an investment in our growth, our futures and our potential.” Kumar went on to say that because of Schanwald, “I not only see a future for myself in the sports industry, I believe in it. And one day I will give back to the next generation of students just as you have given to us.”

Tori Shay, SPH ’13, associate program director and co-founder of the Stephen M. Schanwald Sports Management Program, also said his investment is about much more than financial support; it’s the gift of his time. She became emotional in saying, “Thank you for your belief in us, thank you for your commitment to this program, thank you for your generosity. The time you take with our students is truly inspiring to me, and I so appreciate who you are as a person, inside and out.”

In closing out the dedication celebrating his legacy and impact, Schanwald said he was overwhelmed by the expressions of gratitude directed towards him. “I’ve been greatly blessed, and I feel very strongly about doing everything I can to leave the world a better place than it otherwise would have been had I never existed.” He has chosen to pay his blessings forward by funding the program that bears his name and hopes that for decades to come, he’ll have a positive influence on the lives of so many people. “This, by far, is the most rewarding thing I have ever done in my life. It’s truly the cherry on the sundae, the capstone to my life and career.”

The Schanwald Sports Management Program dedication on Oct. 3 was one part of a weeklong celebration jointly hosted by Maryland Athletics. Highlights included the dedication of the Stephen M. Schanwald Practice Fields at Jones-Hill House and the Stephen M. Schanwald Pavilion at the Xfinity Center. Schanwald also spent time with the football team, attending practice, a team dinner and was honored on the field at the game against the Washington Huskies on Oct. 4.