Six Individuals to Receive Young Professional Scholarship at the 2024 National Sports Safety and Security Conference & Exhibition

Thu, 03/28/2024 - 03:52pm | By: NCS4 Staff

The National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security (NCS⁴) will recognize six individuals as Young Professional Scholarship recipients during the 2024 National Sports Safety and Security Conference & Exhibition on July 9-11 in Phoenix, AZ. The event is presented annually by NCS⁴, which is located at The University of Southern Mississippi (USM).

The NCS⁴ is committed to educating the next generation of sport security professionals and recently announced the Young Professional Scholarship Program to support young professionals’ educational goals by covering the registration fee for selected individuals to the National Conference. The scholarship program is sponsored by Axis Communications.

The Young Professional Scholarship Program is designed for professionals 40 years of age or younger working in the sports and entertainment security industry. Potential candidates submitted an application for consideration of the award, and recipients were selected based on eligibility criteria, responses about career goals, and availability to attend the National Conference.

“We would like to thank our sponsor for this program, Axis Communications, as we work together to recognize and support young professionals in the sport security space. We look forward to connecting with them at the conference,” said Dr. Stacey A. Hall, NCS⁴ Executive Director and Professor of Sport Management.

The conference will expose recipients to general educational programming, innovative technology solutions, security expert insights, and networking opportunities.

“Axis Communications values education, and we celebrate personal and professional development,” said James Stark, Axis Communications Segment Development Manager – Retail, Americas. “We are proud to participate in helping deserving young professionals through the financial support of the scholarship and appreciate the opportunity to partner with NCS⁴ in this impactful initiative.”

Recipients were representatives of the following industries: professional sports and entertainment and intercollegiate athletics.

The NCS⁴ and Axis Communications are excited to announce the 2024 Young Professional Award recipients:

Alex Algee, Pacers Sports & Entertainment

Shane Burgess, Wisconsin Athletics

Adrienne Hutchens, Kroenke Sports and Entertainment

Dan Koch, Jacksonville Jaguars

Travis W. Smith, Virginia Beach Police Department

Matt Wannemuehler, University of Alabama Athletics

Early-bird registration is available through April 15 with fees of $600 for NCS⁴ Connect members and $650 for non-members. Prices will increase by $50 after April 15. If you register three or more people from the same organization, save $50 off each attendee registration. The group discount will be automatically applied when applicable. Visit the website for additional information and exclusions.

Visit the conference website for more information.

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About the 15^th Annual Conference:

The National Sports Safety and Security Conference & Exhibition will be held July 9-11 at the JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa in Phoenix, AZ. The conference will attract over 450 attendees and 70 exhibitors representing professional sports, intercollegiate athletics, interscholastic athletics, marathon and endurance events, sports and entertainment facilities, and those who provide safety and security products and services to the industry. You can visit the conference website for more information.

About NCS⁴:
Established in 2006, the National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security (NCS⁴) is the nation's only academic center devoted to the study and practice of sports safety and security. The NCS⁴ is partially underwritten by grants from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The NCS⁴mission focuses on three key pillars – Training and Education, Research, and Outreach. For more information about NCS⁴, call 601.266.6183.