University dedicates new athletics center, hopes to promote sports business education

University dedicates new athletics center, hopes to promote sports business education

St. Thomas University has dedicated the Fernandez Family Center for Leadership and Wellness, a state-of-the-art facility that will house its well-regarded sports administration program as well as a fitness center.

The school thus hopes to further enhance the popularity of its undergraduate and graduate sports administration degrees, which focus on the business behind the games.

"The Fernandez Center provides our students with one of the most cutting-edge athletic and learning centers in the area and serves as a symbol of the university's transformation into one of Florida's leading hubs for higher education," says Rev. Monsignor Franklyn M. Casale, president of STU.

As Americans become increasingly interested in healthy lifestyles and physical activity, sports management degrees may open doors to rewarding careers in the future. They may also prepare their holders to enter an MBA program and earn another marketable degree.

PayScale.com, a research company, calculated that average salaries for holders of MBA degrees ranged from $73,510 to $171,583 in 2008, depending on the field, position and years of experience.