Athletes Mean Business

A new course at Texas A&M University is helping student-athletes hone their leadership skills while developing a business mindset.

AmplifyU, a program created by Mays Business School in collaboration with the university’s athletics department, focuses on key business competencies to prepare Aggie student-athletes to make financial decisions in relation to the NCAA’s Name, Image, Likeness Rule (NIL). Additionally, the course helps students — many of whom are majoring in subjects other than business — consider key business issues they may face as professional athletes and in careers after their competitive days are over.

“Athletics have always been an important piece of the soul of Texas A&M University, and Mays Business School is proud to offer this innovative course that sets up student-athletes for success now and in the future,” said Mays Business School Dean Nate Sharp.

The athletics department views this course as a game-changing program that will help with recruitment efforts. “AmplifyU is an invaluable resource for our student-athletes at Texas A&M. Our athletics department’s partnership with Mays Business School to provide this program is at the cutting edge of the NIL space in educating student-athletes,” said Texas A&M Director of Athletics Trev Alberts.  “This is a pivotal and transformational time in college athletics, and here at Texas A&M, we firmly believe that preparing our Aggie athletes in all facets of name, image and likeness is what sets us apart from the rest of the country.”

Janet Parish, director of Mays Business School’s Reynolds and Reynolds Sales Leadership Institute, developed AmplifyU in collaboration with former Texas A&M football player Chris Valletta ’00 and sports lawyer Alex Sinatra ’11 ’14, who was a competitive gymnast. The program launched in 2022 as a series of four-day seminars and now has expanded to include a credit-bearing course in Mays’ Department of Marketing. This semester-long course, called AmplifyOne: Athletes Mean Business, covers key topics such as effective communication, personal branding, business networking, digital presence, entrepreneurship and future educational opportunities in business.

The course taps a roster of guest speakers that includes former Aggie athletes in baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, equestrian, football, women’s golf, swimming and diving, tennis, track and field and volleyball who are thriving in the business world.

Thirty-five student-athletes are enrolled in the fall semester course, representing Texas A&M’s football, swimming and diving and equestrian teams. The course will be offered again in spring 2025.

Swimming and diving freshman Jacob Wimberly said the course has been incredibly impactful in how he views his future. “We got to hear the testimonials of so many Aggies who were once in our shoes and how they were able to reach the pinnacle of their career both athletically and in business,” he said. “This class has left an impact on how I view business and my role as a student-athlete at Texas A&M and has helped open my vision to the many opportunities I have.”

The AmplifyU program also provides enhanced support through in-depth workshops, corporate site visits, micro-internships and a private LinkedIn network.

“No matter when or how they choose to enter the business world, we’re equipping them with knowledge, vocabulary, frameworks and, most importantly, a network to help them do so — whether that’s the day they graduate or the day they retire from a sport,” Parish said. “We’re here for them.”

Participants who took part in the program’s first two years give it high praise. Track and field junior Jaden Harris said signing up for AmplifyU was a “no brainer.” He said he appreciated learning about loans, credit cards, starting and keeping a business and employee management. “These topics will help me with a base knowledge of business and how to talk to people,” said Harris, who is majoring in marketing with plans to be an actor or model.

Calling it “life changing,” Ava Underwood, a junior on the Aggie women’s volleyball team, said AmplifyU is helping her develop a strong business foundation. “The information provided is great insight on how to make the most of your talents and abilities as a student-athlete,” the marketing major said. “There is nothing comparable to the unique caliber of this experience in the nation, and we are blessed as Texas A&M student-athletes to have the opportunity to be part of this special program.”

Applauding current student-athletes’ interest in AmplifyU, former Texas A&M athletes note that this program provides an important jumpstart to support athletes’ long-term professional dreams. “If I were an 18-year-old kid coming to Texas A&M and knowing what we know now, I’d want this opportunity to learn more about the business side,” said Dat Nguyen ’98, a former Aggie linebacker who played in the National Football League and has participated as a guest speaker.

AmplifyU also underscores the strength of the Aggie Network and student-athletes’ commitment to the Aggie Core Values.  “It is our responsibility as Aggies to develop the next generation of business leaders because businesses are the engine of our economy that keeps us strong, safe and secure,” Valletta said. “If the economy fails, we all fail — and nobody wants that. So we’ve really got to contribute, and AmplifyU is a way we can build better leaders.”