Anthony is the newest member of the USP team. His experience in the business world provides a fresh look at our daily tasks and his knowledge in communications and sports management provides professionalism and excellence to everything he does.

This is the seventh interview of a series we did to all our staff members, we want you to really get to know us, understand who we are, where we come from and why are we so passionate about college athletics and helping young students and athletes secure their future.

USP: Tell us about your background. Where are you from? Where did you grow up?

Anthony: I was born and raised in Miami, Florida. One of the greatest things I’ve always loved about Miami is that the full spectrum of diversity across cultures and backgrounds are able to manifest themselves into everything we do. It’s been one of the things appreciate most about living here. 

USP: Where did you go to college?

Anthony: I got my Bachelor’s degree in Organizational Communication & Public Speaking at Florida International University here in Miami. I have always been outgoing and sociable but I never understood the value of being able to effectively communicate your message until I began that program. The lessons I've learned from my time at FIU will last me a lifetime.

Then I got my Master’s degree in Sports Administration at St. Thomas University where I  was finally able to channel my passion for sports and learned how to prepare myself for a career within the sports industry.

USP: Who have been your strongest influences in life?

Anthony: Family is always a huge influence on everything I do. Being able to have a stable foundation to be able to express ideas and be challenged to constantly achieve higher goals is something I would ever take for granted.

It's not easy to find someone who you want to spend your days and enjoy life with. But it's just as important for that person to help you grow as well. My girlfriend has been one of the strongest influences in my life and helps me to always keep a clear focus on my dreams.

USP: What led you to this career? How did you end up at USP?

Anthony: After completing my graduate degree in Sports Administration, I was determined to begin building a career with the industry. Living in Miami, we have such an abundance of professional and collegiate sports organizations that would be amazing places to build that experience. But with COVID-19 affecting so many industries across our country, including sports, it was very hard to find that opportunity. 

After doing some research, I came across USP and saw the amazing work that they were doing for high school students across the globe in pursuing their athletic dreams. Luckily for me, a position had just opened up and the rest is history. This is a new experience but easily one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

USP: What is your personal experience with college sports?

Anthony: Although I have always loved sports from a young age, I have never been a great athlete. So for me, the majority of my experiences with college sports were from the perspective of a fan. When I began my graduate program at St. Thomas University, I was able to gain a lot of perspective from current and former college athletes. Most of my classmates were either former athletes during their undergrad schooling, current athletes for STU, and even coaches for the teams on campus. 

One of the great pleasures I had within my graduate program was assisting with the admissions team in assisting new and current student-athletes best prepare themselves for their lives on campus and make sure they were set for success off the field.

USP: What tips would you give a student that is preparing for college?

Anthony: There are very few moments in life that we get to deliberately chose the paths that we will take. And for many young adults, choosing to go to college and more specifically what college to go to is one of the biggest decisions we could ever make. I would say to do as much research as possible, not only on the school but their athletic programs as well. See how much aid will be available from the school itself, but also do the extra work to apply for external scholarships. If you can secure all of these options earlier, then you can dedicate more of your time to dominating the field or the court later.

Thank you, Anthony!