Brian Smith graduated from Clemson in May 2023 with a major in Marketing and a minor in Entrepreneurship. He received the Markvan Bellamy Brooks Endowed Scholarship in 2022. Throughout his time at Clemson, he utilized his studies to succeed in his internships with major sports teams such as the New York Giants and the New York Yankees.
How have you utilized your major/concentration in sports to help your career?
My major played a huge role in shaping my overall business knowledge and expertise, but the experiences I had outside the classroom is really what allowed me to learn the business of sports firsthand. Being able to see different facets of the industry throughout my time in college helped determine the direction I wanted to go post-grad, and gave an understanding of how they all work and interact.
What is your current role and where are you located?
I am currently with Genesco Sports Enterprises, a sports marketing consulting agency specializing in brand partnership strategy. I’m fortunate enough to help manage some of the largest portfolios in sports sponsorship out of our New York City office.
What has your journey been like since graduating from Clemson?
After graduation I took a season-long internship in the New York Jets corporate partnerships department. After 8 months there I took the job with Genesco as an Assistant Manager and have since been promoted to Manager.
What advice would you give to future Brooks Scholars as they approach post-grad?
There’s never a job or task too small and take advantage of every opportunity that comes your way.
Nicole Entrup graduated from Clemson University in December 2021 with a major in Recreational Therapy and a minor in Nonprofit Leadership from the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management. Throughout her time at Clemson, she focused her coursework and field experiences on the power of adaptive sports as a therapeutic tool to support individuals with physical disabilities. Her studies allowed her to explore how sport fosters not just physical recovery, but also social connection, resilience and purpose.
How have you utilized your major/concentration in sports to help your career?
Nicole Entrup in front of the Wounded Warrior Project building
Since graduating, I’ve dedicated my career to leveraging the therapeutic and empowering nature of sport to improve the quality of life for individuals with physical disabilities, especially service members. I first served as an Adaptive Sports Coordinator for the Air Force Wounded Warrior Program, supporting athletes on their journey to the Warrior Games. I later transitioned to a clinical setting at the Center for the Intrepid, where I collaborated with nonprofit partners to design sport-based interventions aligned with patient goals. Many of these patients had experienced limb loss, burns or nerve damage. In this role, I created and led an adaptive sports program focused on improving functional movement, promoting camaraderie and helping individuals rediscover a sense of purpose. My foundation in recreational therapy was instrumental in understanding how to intentionally use sport as a tool for healing and growth.
What is your current role and where are you located?
I currently serve as an Adaptive Sports Specialist for Wounded Warrior Project, based out of San Antonio, Texas. My primary focus is programming within the Central U.S., though I travel nationwide to coordinate single-day and multi-day adaptive sports clinics. These events introduce or advance participants’ skills in a variety of sports from outdoor recreation like kayaking and fishing to competitive team sports like wheelchair basketball, sled hockey and sitting volleyball. I work closely with external partners to deliver meaningful experiences that promote physical wellness, build social connection, and strengthen each warrior’s sense of identity and purpose after injury.
What has your journey been like since graduating from Clemson?
My post-grad journey began almost immediately as I accepted a job with the Air Force Wounded Warrior Program just two days after graduation. I returned to San Antonio where I had interned at Morgan’s Sports during my undergrad. As I’ve moved through different roles from clinical and community-based, to now nonprofit, I’ve stayed rooted in the belief that sport is a powerful tool for transformation. I credit much of that perspective to mentors like Dr. Jasmine Townsend, who helped me see how sport can be used with intention to help individuals reclaim independence and reimagine their futures.
What advice would you give to future Brooks Scholars as they approach post-grad?
I challenge future scholars to stay grounded in the belief that sport has the power to change lives, and let that belief guide your next steps. Always be curious and committed to learning, not just in the classroom, but out in the field where sport meets real-world challenges. Seek out experiences that push you to grow, whether that’s through hands-on practice, conferences, collaborations or taking on new responsibilities.
Additionally, never underestimate the value of building genuine connections. The relationships you form, whether with peers, mentors or program participants, will open doors and shape your path in unexpected ways. Finally, when you lead with passion and keep the focus on creating impact through sport, you’ll be prepared to make a meaningful difference wherever you land.
Photos by Josh Wilson, August 2024, Women’s Golf, The Walker Course, Clemson University
Women’s Golf Month is celebrated throughout June each year. This June, we celebrate Clemson Women’s Golf which has a strong history of elite performance and camaraderie with the academics at Clemson University.
Over the years, various faculty at Clemson have studied the science behind the game and its players.
Faculty from Clemson University’s Department of Bioengineering, including Interim Director of the Robert H. Brooks Sports Science Institute, John DesJardins, Ph.D., have studied ‘balance improvements and golf swing kinematic consistency with eight-week balance interventions.’ The purpose of the study, conducted in 2020, was to determine if a training program targeted specifically at balance could enhance players’ overall performance by improving postural stability and swing consistency. After studying eight NCAA Division I players, it was determined that balance training would enhance posture but, while no negative effects were measured, swing consistency did not improve. Another benefit of the study showed the importance of conducting research to help coaches and players understand both the positive and negative effects of their training programs and to potentially make modifications based on that data. While the original study was conducted with male golfers, its conclusions can be applied across teams. Click here to read the full article in the Journal of Sports Research.
Another Clemson faculty member, Gregory Cranmer, Ph.D., from the Department of Communication and fellow of the Robert H. Brooks Sports Science Institute, has studied ‘female golfer’s uncertainty management during their transition into professional golf.’ The 2020 study offers potential strategies for collegiate organizations and professional associations to prepare student-athletes for the uncertain transition into professional golf.
On August 28-29, the Tiger Golf Gathering (TGG) Foundation will host the 2025 Tiger Golf Gathering in Clemson, an annual fundraising event that benefits the Clemson Golf program. The event features a Thursday Open at The Walker Course and Auction Party in the afternoon at the Madren Conference Center and Inn. Friday morning features the Tiger-Am at The Cliffs at Keowee Springs. Meet current and former Tigers and bid on some amazing items to support your Clemson golfers. Sponsorships and online donations are also available.
Click here to learn more about Clemson’s sports science faculty.
