Rate My Professor Craig Schmitt

Craig Schmitt serves as Teaching Assistant Professor of Recreation and Sport Management in the Department of Health, Human Performance, and Recreation at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, where he joined the faculty in 2020 within the College of Education and Health Professions. He earned a doctorate in sport administration from the University of Northern Colorado in 2014, a master's degree in sport business management and an MBA from the University of Central Florida in 2005, and a bachelor's degree in business economics from the University of Florida in 2003. Prior to his appointment at Arkansas, Schmitt held positions as director of engaged learning and outreach at the University of Florida, assistant professor of sport and event management at Elon University, and instructor for the Business of Sport Certificate program at the University of Colorado. From 2005 to 2010, he directed YMCA programs in central Florida and Charleston, South Carolina.

Schmitt's academic interests center on the business of recreation and sport management, with a focus on sport marketing. He emphasizes experiential learning by integrating industry engagement into the classroom to better prepare students for their careers. In 2023, he developed and taught the new elective course RESM 4253: Business of Sport during intersessions, providing students with interactions with over three dozen professionals from teams including the Texas Rangers, Dallas Cowboys, and Dallas Stars in Dallas, and more than 20 from the Kansas City Royals and Kansas City Chiefs. He also redesigned RESM 1013 to assist students in identifying career paths in the sports industry through 32 Zoom interviews with professionals. For these contributions, Schmitt received the College of Education and Health Professions Outstanding Teaching Award for 2023-24 and the TFSC Faculty Commendation for Teaching Development. As program coordinator for the Master of Education in Recreation and Sport Management, he supports graduate education in the field.