Ashten Ackerman ‘11 has recently started working as a Marketing and Promotions Coordinator for the Academy Sports + Outdoors corporate headquarters which is located in Katy, TX, a suburb of Houston.
As the Marketing and Promotions Coordinator for Academy, Ashten will be involved in a dynamic range of duties. To lay out the entire job description, she will:
- assist managers with all aspects of marketing and promotions for assigned regions
- plan and execute promotions, personal appearances, in-store clinics and store events
- negotiate and implement sponsorship contracts with local sports organizations, and outdoors and sporting events
- partner with advertising buyers, graphic designers, public relations representatives, and website designers to promote events
- assist in managing regional budgets
- partner with store operations for execution of events and programs
- support marketing projects and initiatives for additional regions as needed.
"This move was focused on finding a company that I can grow within, rather than just a job," Ackerman said. "I look forward to all of the challenges and successes to come, and thank everyone who helped me get to this point."
Ackerman spent the two previous years working in the athletic department at Sam Houston State University. As the Special Events Coordinator, she planned and executed all aspects of key fundraising initiatives and generated over $1.2 million in fundraising revenue for the athletic department. Prior to that she was the Aquatics Director at Central Florida YMCA where she oversaw the operations and programming of 5 aquatic facilities, leading wide marketing campaigns while also being on the chair for the annual fundraising campaign.
"I feel extremely fortunate and blessed to have this opportunity," Ashten explains. "Sam Houston State was an amazing chance to grow as a young professional, but I am very excited for this new chapter and to begin my career with Academy Sports + Outdoors."
During her senior year, Ackerman earned the prestigious Lindsay Roemmich Sport Management Achievement Award in 2011 for being the graduating senior that best exhibits academic excellence, external sport management experience, positive attitude, and dedication to improving the Department of Sport Management. Ashten was a standout student-athlete during her time at Rice from 2007-2011, earning some big awards along the way. Ackerman, a varsity swimmer while at Rice, earned the Kathryn Scholl True Blue Spirit Award in 2008-2009 as the swimmer with the best enthusiasm and positive attitude at meets and during daily practice.
Ackerman joins five other Rice graduates who work in Academy’s corporate headquarters: Alex Francis '13, Emerson Herndon '12, Mary Mikell Lampton '14, Lilly Marrow '14, and Stephanie Wei '13
Chad Mozingo, a senior from Spring, Texas, is majoring in Sport Management.