Leadership, internship and relationships elevate sport management grad's experience

KALAMAZOO, Mich.—From the locker room to the Taj Mahal, Ethan Cheatham's experiences at Western Michigan University have been wide-ranging. And that's exactly why he says he's ready to take the next step in his career.

"When I was looking at colleges, my mentor told me, 'Western would be an excellent fit for you. You will gain valuable knowledge and have countless opportunities to get involved. You just have to step outside your shell and be comfortable with the uncomfortable.' And he was right!" Cheatham says. "The sport management program prepared me for the next level."

After earning his bachelor's degree in sport management on April 26 during Western's spring commencement, Cheatham has hit the ground running in Grow the Game Inc.'s GA Pathway Program. The initiative connects aspiring professionals with graduate assistant opportunities in collegiate basketball programs across the country.

Cheatham has lofty career goals. After completing a graduate assistantship, he'd like to work his way up in administration, from director of basketball operations to athletic director. Ultimately, he's aiming to become a sports agent and own a sports agency.

"Western breeds future leaders through different programs. You see photos and success stories all over campus of former students who have become very important figures in what they do, and that's really pushed me," he says. 

Cultivating connections

Cheatham, who is from Detroit, came to Western for the sport management program.

"It seemed like the professors were really open and they talked about gaining first-hand experience, and that's really what I was looking for: experience and gaining connections at the same time," he says.

Within the department, he found professors who not only cared about him and his success but had a wealth of experience in the industry to draw from. Deborah Droppers, event management program coordinator, taught him how to make itineraries, plan events and draw crowds to those events. Dr. James Lewis, associate professor of sport management, leveraged his own contacts to help Cheatham find opportunities to beef up his resume.

"Professors become your biggest advocates, so you need to talk to them as much as you can and approach every day as a new opportunity," he says.

Cheatham also found value in courses beyond his major, including an interdisciplinary study abroad program. He joined students from the College of Education and Human Development, College of Health and Human Services and Haworth College of Business on a two-week trip to India to learn about culture, education and sustainability.

“Going to India really took me out of my comfort zone. Being in a completely new environment taught me how to be more independent, adapt quickly and stay resilient through unfamiliar situations," says Cheatham.

Racking up experience

From campus employment to registered student organizations (RSOs) to club sports, Cheatham has immersed himself in Experience-Driven Learning opportunities at Western.

• As president of the club basketball team, he learned how to coordinate schedules, recruit players, manage a budget and advocate for an organization.
• As a resident assistant, he organized community-building events, led training sessions and fostered an inclusive environment for a diverse community of students.
• As president of Alpha Kappa Psi, a professional business fraternity, he spearheaded professional development and leadership initiatives and organized networking events.
• As an executive board member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., he helped the chapter achieve over 200 hours of community service and recently was named Neophyte of the Year for the fraternity's Midwest Region, an honor given to the top first-year member for his leadership and service.

"There are endless opportunities at Western," Cheatham says. "The University opens many doors, but it's up to you to find the keys. Once you take the initiative, everything falls into place."

One of those doors presented itself in a meeting with Cowan Olinger, Western's director of basketball operations. Cheatham connected with him while navigating a scheduling challenge with the club basketball team. He mentioned he needed some internship experience, and Olinger remembered that when the team needed a new student manager.

"We stayed in touch, and he was a great advocate for me," says Cheatham, who spent the 2024-25 season with the team doing everything from breaking down film for practices and games to managing equipment. If the team needed it, he made it happen.

"I worked really hard. I really learned a lot from the team's video manager and the other student managers," he says. "I was determined to learn more about the industry, because I need transferable skills to take with me in different programs."

The experience is what ultimately led to his acceptance into the GA Pathways Program and helped him stand out among a crowd of peers looking to get their foot in the door of the sport management industry.

"I learned the more you show up, the more opportunities you will have to excel," he says. "Western empowers students by offering them leadership roles and putting them in charge of RSOs. It's a place where you can come and carve your own path—whatever it might be."

For more WMU news, arts and events, visit WMU News online.