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Marcos Ramos ’05 has recently been promoted to Manager of Philanthropy and Events at Big Lots.
Ramos graduated from Rice with a degree in Kinesiology on a dual-track in Sport Management and Health Sciences. On top of schoolwork, Ramos was a Rice baseball pitcher, balancing internships with an intense workout schedule. In 2005, he was named co-winner of the Gilbert L. Hermance Award which recognized the top student in the entire Department of Kinesiology "who exhibited exemplary qualities of scholarship, leadership, character and service during his or her undergraduate experience."
“By far the thing that has best prepared me for my professional career was the connections and hands-on experiences gained through Rice’s Sport Management program,” Ramos said. “I would not be where I am today without those internships. Dr. Haptonstall always instilled in me the importance of building your network and using it to advance your career.”
Ramos’ new gig involves managing all aspects of internal and external corporate events as well as contributing to the philanthropic efforts of the Big Lots Foundation. In this role, Ramos is able to serve others and create impact on a daily basis.
Before joining Big Lots, Ramos worked at the Houston Astros, Positive Coaching Alliance, Waste Management, and was a co-founder of Executive OutReach Events, LLC. While at Waste Management, Ramos hit a career home run, helping manage the naming rights sponsorship for the largest golf tournament in the world, the Waste Management Phoenix Open. Between these experiences, Ramos gained perspective and was able to define his passion for event planning.
“I cherish being able to get exposed to different areas of the sports industry early in my career,” Ramos said. “I learned what I wanted to do and it helped me to find my passion for event planning.”
Ramos continues to approach his career keeping in mind the lessons he learned on the field. As he moves forward professionally, he brings with him the understanding that failure is part of success.
“Failure is a big part of sports in general,” Ramos said, “But how you react is what sets you apart. Making mistakes are integral to both personal and professional growth, as long as you learn from each misstep.”
Ramos urges students to take advantage of all opportunities to better develop what brings meaning to their life. Through career exploration, Ramos not only gained invaluable experience, but also met his wife. Ramos and his wife, Mallory, met in 2005 as interns at the Houston Astros. Together they have a 3-year old daughter and baby on the way.
Simone Bergsrud, a senior from The Woodlands, Texas, is double-majoring in Sport Management and Sociology