FIFA Master Alumni – Where are they now? – Travis Haley

Travis Haley

Current Position: Director of Development at SEED Project

Year of graduation: 2016 (16th Edition)

Nationality: American

What does your current role involve?

I am the Director of Development at SEED Project, which is an international NGO focused on providing high-quality scholastic opportunities to African youth through basketball. I oversee the international fundraising efforts for the organization, develop and implement student and alumni programmes globally, and provide strategic support for SEED events and partnerships. My main focus now is also to grow the awareness of the SEED brand and strengthen the financial capabilities and overall capacity of the organization.

I also serve as a strategy management consultant and advisor for a variety of organizations. For example, I work with Athlead, which is a London-based non-profit organisation specializing in athlete-led social initiatives, philanthropic work and sport for development programmes. With Athlead, I advise athletes and brands on how to create and manage impactful, sustainable sport for development programmes across Europe. Additionally, I also advise the Center for Global Sports on the development and implementation of large-scale sports strategies designed for economic growth in emerging economies. I then also work as an advisor for Full Court Press on ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease), which is an organization using basketball as a platform to promote awareness about the disease and raise funding for ALS research.

Which aspects of the FIFA Master course have helped you most in your career?

The FIFA Master was an essential part of my professional development and provided opportunities I could not have experienced through any other Postgraduate programme. It gave me the knowledge, international perspective, connections and confidence needed to thrive in my current position. The aspects of the FIFA Master that helped the most in my career have been the connections made and ideas shared. The people involved and conversations had throughout the course of the academic year, both personal and professional, were without a doubt the greatest strengths of the FIFA Master.

What advice would you give to future students on the course?

Trust the process. Be patient. The course is about being open-minded, thinking for yourself and not just trying to get a job at a particular organization. Be open to new opportunities and just enjoy the people involved each and every day.

FIFA Master - International Master in Management, Law and Humanities of Sport, ranked No.1 Course in Europe 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017 and 2018 by the SportBusiness International global rankings.   
Organised by CIES in partnership with De Montfort University (United Kingdom), SDA Bocconi School of Management (Italy) and the University of Neuchâtel (Switzerland).

Discover more examples of inspiring FIFA Master alumni career paths by clicking here.