University of Delaware marketing major Samantha Matisoff loved sports — especially soccer and the U.S. Women’s National Team — but her career trajectory remained uncertain.
Following her sophomore year, Matisoff added sport management as a second major and never expected a conversation after the introductory International Sport Management class to change the course of her career.
By the end of the academic year, Matisoff, a rising senior in the University of Delaware’s Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics had coordinated logistics for an international coaching program, traveled to the International Olympic Committee headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland and discovered a passion for the Olympic movement that reshaped her professional goals.
“It was the first class that I really enjoyed,” Matisoff said of the course taught by Dr. Matthew Robinson, professor of sport management. “It focused a lot on the Olympic system, which I didn’t know much about.”
After only the second day of class, Matisoff introduced herself to Robinson and told him how interested she was in the subject matter. That simple conversation became the first step toward an opportunity she never anticipated.
During the semester, Robinson invited Matisoff to assist with the International Coaching Enrichment Certificate Program (ICECP), a global education and sport development program he oversees, offered by UD in partnership with and funded by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Olympic Solidarity fund and the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC).
Each year, the ICECP hosts 30 coaches from around the globe to participate in a year-long academic and practical program. Participants who successfully complete all academic requirements, including implementing a project that positively impacts sport in their home country, travel to IOC headquarters in Lausanne for the closing graduation module.
Impressed with Matisoff’s enthusiasm and work ethic in assisting during the 10-day ICECP module on the UD campus in the fall, Robinson offered her the opportunity to complete her capstone internship as the program’s operations intern for the spring.
Matisoff quickly discovered that her responsibilities extended well beyond basic administrative tasks. She coordinated planning and logistics for multiple aspects of the program, including the scheduling of the virtual jury presentations, reviewing visa documents, booking transportation for participants traveling to Lausanne and communicating with international sport federations to arrange coach visits. The work demanded exceptional attention to detail, organization and communication skills.
While much of her work centered on logistics, the role also allowed Matisoff to build relationships with the coaches and learn about the projects they were implementing to strengthen sport in their home countries. Those interactions gave her a deeper appreciation for the program’s global impact.
One project that particularly inspired her came from Michelle Hyubner, an artistic swimming coach from Bulgaria. Hyubner focused her project on coaches’ mental health and well-being, partnering with a mental health specialist to collect data and improve support systems for artistic swimming coaches in her home country.
Although traveling to Switzerland was not originally part of her internship, Robinson recognized how much ownership Matisoff had taken throughout the semester.
“Samantha was doing a great job and had become an essential team member,” Robinson said.
In Lausanne, Matisoff experienced the global sports industry firsthand. She visited IOC headquarters, and Robinson called on Matisoff to accompany the ICECP participants visiting World Rowing and World Taekwondo headquarters.
On those visits, she learned more about sports she previously knew little about and observed how international organizations collaborate to grow sport worldwide.
“My job while in Switzerland was a lot of logistics,” she said. “During our day at the IOC, I was in the MediaTech room where I managed the participant presentations and graduation ceremony materials.”
Kirsty Coventry, president of the IOC, addressed the graduates at that ceremony.
“Seeing IOC President Kirsty Coventry speak at the graduation ceremony was incredibly inspiring because she represents everything the Olympic movement stands for,” Matisoff said. “It made my experience even more meaningful and motivated me to continue pursuing a career where I can make a positive impact through sport.”
Matisoff also treasured the relationships she built with coaches from around the world.
“There was some downtime in Switzerland when we could just talk,” she said. “It was so cool getting to know and bond with someone who could be so different from you and live so far away.”
Looking back, Matisoff believes the experience transformed her both professionally and personally.
“I learned that I’m more capable, resilient and adaptable than I gave myself credit for,” she said. “I expected to assist with basic tasks, but I quickly found myself managing more complex responsibilities that had real consequences if I didn’t do them correctly.”
The relationships she built through ICECP have already begun opening professional doors. Beginning in July, Matisoff is serving as a sports department administrator with World Lacrosse, the international federation for lacrosse, with a connection she made through ICECP.
Her long-term dream remains working in Los Angeles during the 2028 Olympic Games or with U.S. Soccer and the U.S. Women’s National Team, but she now sees opportunities across the international sports landscape.
“Looking back over the past year, I can’t believe how much this has changed for me,” Matisoff said. “I don’t care what sport I’d be doing in the Olympics, as long as I’m making an impact and learning and growing.”
Reflecting on her journey, Matisoff credits hard work, preparation and one decision to stay after class and start a conversation. “I love the quote that everything happens for a reason,” she said. “Even the smallest conversations — you never know where they will lead you.”