How class projects with the Cowboys, Rangers prepared this UNT grad for a sportstech career

How did UNT graduate Valentina Rojas-Shaneyfelt turn a passion for sports into a career?

For Rojas-Shaneyfelt, who graduated UNT in May of 2026, finding the right career path wasn't immediate. She originally attended community college planning to study psychology, but a behind-the-scenes opportunity working a Big 12 football game with a friend changed everything.

Seeing the work that goes into producing a major sporting event sparked a new interest in the business side of sports. As she researched programs, UNT stood out because its Sport Entertainment Management degree is tied to the College of Business, giving students both industry-specific knowledge and a strong business foundation.

While touring campus, Rojas-Shaneyfelt met the program director, Bob Heere, who invited her to attend a sports career fair at AT&T Stadium the very next day. That experience convinced her she had found the right place.

"I fell in love with the speakers and the connections they had with the Dallas sports industry. I said, ‘This is going to be a program that will give me so much,’" Rojas-Shaneyfelt said.

What real-world projects prepared her for the sports industry?

Throughout the program, Rojas-Shaneyfelt worked on projects with professional sports organizations that challenged students to solve business problems.

One of the most memorable came in her Corporate Partnerships course with Dr. Misun Won, where representatives from the Dallas Cowboys asked student teams to develop a sponsorship proposal centered on the pet industry.

Rather than following the expected approach, Rojas-Shaneyfelt and her teammates pitched a partnership with Tractor Supply Company, expanding the concept beyond traditional pet retailers to include ranching, livestock and rural Texas culture. Their proposal featured ideas ranging from animal adoptions at The Star to the addition of a live horse mascot.

Although Cowboys representatives initially encouraged the team to stick with pet retailers, Rojas-Shaneyfelt trusted her instincts. By presentation day, the project earned praise from both the client and classmates, and it led to a lasting mentorship with Dallas Cowboys Director of Corporate Partnerships Carly Stephens, giving Rojas-Shaneyfelt an industry connection that continues today.

Another standout project partnered students with the Texas Rangers to develop strategies for expanding the team's presence in Mexico.

As a native of Mexico City, Rojas-Shaneyfelt drew on her own experiences to help shape the proposal. She researched fan culture firsthand, visited stadiums in Mexico and interviewed others familiar with Latin American baseball traditions.

Rather than suggesting Tex-Mex themed promotions, she encouraged the Rangers to introduce authentic American baseball traditions while embracing cultural exchanges between the two countries.

Her team's ideas included youth baseball camps, exhibition games between the Rangers and the Diablos Rojos del México, bilingual marketing campaigns, and a Coca-Cola® partnership centered on bringing families together through baseball.

“All of the commercials [in Mexico] for Coca-Cola® are about sharing a cup with your family,” Rojas-Shaneyfelt said. “I thought, ‘We can do that with the Rangers and a team in Mexico. They can sit around a table, showing that even if they don't speak the same language, they're united by baseball.’”

Those experiences taught Rojas-Shaneyfelt that meaningful projects are about more than completing an assignment.

"I think that's why my projects were very successful, because I really put what I believed in into them," Rojas-Shaneyfelt said.

How did those experiences lead to new opportunities?

The relationships Rojas-Shaneyfelt built with professors and industry professionals eventually opened the door to an internship with Plug and Play's Sportstech Innovation Center.

After learning about the organization through faculty member David Steele and seeing an internship posted exclusively to UNT sports management students before being posted publicly, she applied and earned the position following a competitive interview process.

The internship introduced her to another side of the sports industry: technological innovation.

Working on events, managing the organization's Origin coworking space and collaborating with startups has allowed her to explore how artificial intelligence and emerging technologies are reshaping professional sports. Every day brings new projects and new experiences, reinforcing the value of remaining open to opportunities she hadn't originally considered.

What advice does she have for current and future UNT students?

Looking back, Rojas-Shaneyfelt believes one of the biggest advantages students have at UNT is the opportunity to build relationships with professors and classmates.

She encourages students to participate in class discussions, attend networking events, talk to classmates, volunteer and make the most of every resource available, from career fairs to student organizations. She also reminds students to stay flexible. Career goals can evolve, and unexpected opportunities may lead to fulfilling careers they never anticipated.

For Rojas-Shaneyfelt, saying yes to new experiences, whether working a football game, presenting to professional sports executives or accepting an internship outside her original career plan, has shaped a path that continues to grow.

By combining classroom learning with hands-on experience and meaningful relationships, UNT helped transform a lifelong passion for sports into a promising career.

Those interested in learning more about UNT’s Sport Entertainment Management program can use these resources:

• Website: www.unt.edu/academics/programs/sport-entertainment-management-degree

• Phone number: 972-668-7100

• Email address: [email protected]

• Address: 12995 Preston Rd., Frisco

• Schedule a campus tour at https://tours.unt.edu/campus-walking-tour.html 

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The above story was produced by Senior Multi-Platform Journalist Sydney Heller with Community Impact's Storytelling team with information solely provided by the local business as part of their "sponsored content" purchase through our advertising team.