Will Johniken M.Ed. ’25, Sport Management.
What made you choose UT Austin and the College of Education?
I think a lot of kids grow up wanting to go to UT Austin. It is the best school in Texas, and I think most people can agree with that. A lot of people grow up as fans of the University, it is a big brand, whether for the sports or the academics. It is a cool place where everyone can come together and enjoy the diversity.
People come to college to get an education but also to enjoy the positive aspects of the University – and I have been one of those people since I was young.
I did community college for a year after high school. I didn’t apply at the time because of my high school rank and I knew it would be hard for me to get in. But I stuck with my plan and did community college for a year.
I knew I wanted to do sport management. I came in as a physical culture and sports major and transferred to the sport management program. I had options after high school, but I had my eyes on Texas, so I stuck with that, worked hard and am fortunate that everything came together.
Why did you always want to do sport management?
I have had a passion for sports my whole life. When people ask me for advice, I tell them that you can’t do sport management because you are a fan of sports. There are a lot of people who are a fan of sports. If you are just a fan, you are better off doing something you are passionate about, than watching sports on TV.
But for me, I am passionate about the hard work it takes to put on sporting events, along with being a fan. In sport management, you know your hours are going to be long – long hours and long days and not a lot of time off. But if you are passionate about that hard work, you will be in a good spot for yourself.
What was your transition like from an undergraduate program to a master’s degree program?
I did the business administration minor, which is something I wanted to expand my experience at UT beyond just sports. When I graduated, I was at a point of limbo that a lot of people experience. If you don’t have a job lined up, do you just go out and sit around for a bit and wait for a job, or what do you do? It is a hard point for graduates because you go from three to four years of being in this stable situation to not knowing what to do.
I knew I wanted to further my education and didn’t have anything lined up yet, and I was fortunate to lean on those relationships I created during my undergraduate career and use those to get into the sport management master’s program.
It was a situation where I had other choices for my graduate degree in sport management, but it is a testament to the culture of the place when you stick to the relationships you have built over other options. It meant that I was able to continue working with the softball team, which I did for the entirety of my undergraduate career and then for half of my graduate program.
How did you accomplish to graduate early?
I graduated high school with a year of college already completed and then I did my sophomore year at a community college. I then did two years at UT Austin to finish my undergraduate degree.
The two-year graduate program I entered allowed me to finish my degree in a year and a half because I took additional classes during different semesters and finished my internship over the summer.
I am grateful that they offer these options for people who want to get through the degree faster. If I wasn’t able to graduate early, I would not have been able to do my current internship in guest services and ballpark operations with the Minnesota Twins Baseball Club.
What advice do you have for incoming students and future Longhorns, especially transfer hopefuls?
Be patient.
You may not be able to get in right out of high school. It is obvious that UT Austin is very difficult to get into after high school, but if it is your dream, stick to that. There is no shame in doing a year or two in a community college or another college and transferring in. That is great, and you will still end up with your University of Texas diploma at the end just like everyone else.
Take advantage of every opportunity.
You can’t say, “Okay, I’m at Texas now, I am going to relax.” You have to create relationships. To this day I think relationships I built with professors and classmates are going to be what I take with me the most throughout my career.
The diploma is important, but it is really the connections that I made. I wouldn’t have been able to do that without the College of Education and UT Austin. Because I got in here, because I stuck to it and worked hard and built these relationships, I will be able to have jobs down the road and do things like what I am doing now.
How do your dreams before going to UT Austin compare to how you look back on your time there now?
For me, it was everything I dreamed about and more. I wanted to work with one of the sporting teams, and I was fortunate enough to work with the softball team – I had also worked with one in high school – and that was my number one goal.
What’s unique about Texas is that when you are a student here, you get to work with one of the greatest athletic departments in the country, and that is just a perk of being here, which is very rare. Being in a big city like Austin gives you a lot of different opportunities as well, so it is a very unique place that brings a lot of value for students.
Working in the athletic department like I did set me up for what I am doing now with the Minnesota Twins and will continue to ultimately set me up for my future.
Are there any instances, mentors or experiences at UT and COE that you can point to having prepared you for your future?
At Gone to Education, a welcome event for incoming students, I was new and didn’t know anyone. I met a guy there who is still my friend, we keep in touch, and we are in the same career field. That, for me, was a pivotal moment – meeting people and gaining confidence to get myself out there and be a part of the University.
Additionally, I took many of Professor Matt Bowers’ classes in the sport management program, both during my undergraduate and graduate studies, so he was a big influence on me. His sport marketing class really opened up my eyes and made me view sports in a different way.
Professor Tolga Ozyurtcu, Professor Emily Sparvero, Professor Jan Todd – I could go on and on about professors who were mentors. I looked up to them because I have already done similar things, and I view them as people I want to be like someday.
Looking back at your freshman self, what would you tell him about who you are now and how you grew throughout your time at the College of Education at UT Austin?
I would tell him, first of all, to get out a bit more. It’s something I regret a bit from when I first came, but it is hard when you arrive in a big school. I would tell him to get out more, do things and put yourself out there.
At the same time, I would also let him know that he did the right things, focused on school and worked hard. The hard work does pay off. In the moment, when you are a freshman, sophomore or junior, it seems like graduation is a million years away. But you have to enjoy the moment.
