From Gonzaga M.A. in Sport & Athletic Administration to a Fully Funded Ph.D.
In May 2026, Yushi Bo graduated with her M.A. in Sport and Athletic Administration (MASAA) from Gonzaga University. Her educational journey brought her from China to Spokane, Washington, where she took a massive step toward her ultimate goal: earning a Ph.D. in Sport Management. Yushi shares how Gonzaga’s MASAA program provided the mentorship, research opportunities, and network that helped her secure a fully funded Ph.D. offer at her dream program.
Why did you decide to return to school for a master’s degree?
Before coming to the U.S., I studied physical education and worked at Decathlon’s e-commerce team in the Shanghai headquarters as a live streaming specialist. I was doing well, but I had always wanted to see more of the world and experience a different life. So I decided to leave my job and study abroad. I wanted to study sport management in a different cultural context while building a stronger foundation for my future career.
Why did you pick the M.A. in Sport and Athletic Administration and Gonzaga?
The small class sizes, the strong campus sports atmosphere, the internship opportunities, and the alumni network all stood out to me. It felt like the kind of place that would actually support my learning and connect classroom work with the real sports industry.
What do you hope to do with your degree? What’s next for you?
I started the program hoping to pursue a Ph.D. My advisor, Dr. Ryan Turcott, connected me with Dr. Andrew Kim, who became my thesis advisor, and I’ve been working toward that goal ever since. This spring, I received a fully funded Ph.D. offer from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. Next, I’ll continue my research in sport management and keep growing in the field.
What surprised you about the program?
What surprised me most was how many internship opportunities the program shares. Professor Kristen Kavon sends out updates regularly, which is very helpful. I was also surprised by how cool and talented my classmates and alumni are. Many of them have great jobs and internships, and the networking here is amazing.
What skills did you develop in the program and how have they set you up for success in your career?
The biggest one for me was research. Since I want to become a researcher, Dr. Jimmy Smith’s research course gave me a strong foundation, and Dr. Andrew Kim supported me through the whole thesis process. I also picked up social media, creative content, and graphic design skills through my internship with Jenna Turner and Lauren Sfeir. By the time I needed to design a poster for an academic conference, I could put it together quickly. These skills will keep helping me in future presentations and research work.
What return on your investment have you seen so far?
One of the biggest returns on my investment is that I received a fully funded Ph.D. offer from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. At the same time, the classmates, faculty, and staff I met at Gonzaga are also a treasure to me. The relationships and network I’ve built here will last far beyond the program.
How did the program provide you the flexibility to balance school and internships with your other priorities?
MASAA lets you choose between online and in-person classes, so if you’re doing an internship, you can take that semester online. That balance between theory and practice has been really helpful.
What internships did you do and how did that experience help you decide what you wanted to do for your career?
I worked as the MASAA Social Media Graduate Assistant for a year. It wasn’t just about building creative content skills. I also got to collect and share internship opportunities, alumni stories, current student experiences, and job information. Listening to so many alumni and students share their journeys helped me reflect on my own path and get a clearer sense of where I want to go in sport management.
What advice would you give to someone considering Gonzaga’s MASAA program?
As an international student, this is some advice I’d like to share with others thinking about the MASAA program. Every international student has a different English level. Even though I passed the IELTS exam before I came here and did not need to take language classes, I still know how uncomfortable it can feel when we step out of our comfort zone and use a second language every day.
Becoming who you want to be takes time and patience. Start with small things: prepare thoroughly before class, and practice presentations many times, even writing a full script if it helps.
Also, try to make more friends, do internships, or find a campus job. It doesn’t have to be sport-related. For example, I also took on another campus role at the Institute for Informatics and Applied Technology. The director, Dr. Jay Yang, once said that most real-world problems are ultimately solved through interdisciplinary approaches. So try exploring other things you’re interested in. You might be surprised by what you find. Learning through real practice can really help, and it can also make your life much happier.
Do not feel discouraged just because someone doubts you, and do not let other people’s opinions affect you too much. It’s okay to just listen first if you’re not ready to speak up. Talk with your professors and appreciate the support they give you. Talk with your classmates too. They are so cool, and you can learn a lot from them.