June 2020
Tom’s Story
By Tom Ravenhill
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Tom Ravenhill
Sports Management BA (Hons)
Marketing strategist for Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Tom’s role as marketing strategist for Vancouver Whitecaps FC, a Canadian Major League Soccer team, sees him creating campaigns with high-profile brands including Adidas and EA Sports.
It’s an adventure that started at University College Birmingham, where he had the opportunity of a lifetime to complete an internship at the Sea Pines Resort on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.
“I got to put some of my newly-learned skills into action on the other side of the pond, all arranged through the amazing team at University College Birmingham,” he said.
Also completing an internship with sports nutrition brand Grenade and going on residential trips to Berlin and Krakow during his studies, Tom said his degree brought out his love and aptitude for marketing.
“I couldn’t get enough!” he said. “In general, I especially loved the debate and seminar facets of each module, where I could argue my side of the coin verbally, a coveted real-life business skill.
“I don’t think I would have flourished the way I did if it wasn’t for the University. It also opened my eyes to how global the sports business industry truly is and that it lends itself to international mobility - hence why I moved to Canada two weeks after my last exam.”