Ferrum College graduate Bailey Hodges will head to Florida to continue his education. He obtained a degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in sports management along with a double minor in Coaching and Exercise Science. Hodges was accepted into the Florida State University Sports Management master’s program and plans to become a sports agent.
Hodges chose Florida State because it has one of the best sports management programs in the nation and because of the program structure. “Florida State stood out to me because of their diverse career opportunities, ability to work with many sports teams, and because of a chance to make my talents and passion into a career. With its wealth of sports teams, Florida State offers me many exciting opportunities to pursue a career in sports management,” said Hodges.
Hodges’ interest in becoming a sports agent stems from his love of baseball and from being an athlete for the majority of his life. “I have valuable insight on how to balance sports and life. As a sports agent, I will utilize my communication and organizational skills to manage business relationships, and support the client athletes I represent,” explained Hodges.
Originally from Chesterfield, Virginia, Hodges came to Ferrum to live out his childhood dream of playing baseball at the college level, but he also thought the College would be a good fit for him as a student. “I felt that Ferrum would allow me to flourish as an athlete and a student. The College truly has a warm community feeling that I believe to be different from other schools. It is the lifelong friends that I won’t see on a daily basis anymore that I will miss the most,” said Hodges.
Head Baseball Coach Ryan Brittle knew Hodges to be a fantastic teammate. “He was always willing to be a positive voice in the dugout and was always willing to put the team’s needs in front of his own desires. He sets the example with his work ethic on the field and in the classroom. Bailey is an outstanding young man who has overcome many adversities in his life and will certainly carry what he has learned at Ferrum College into a bright future ahead,” said Brittle.
In addition to playing on the baseball team, Hodges was involved with the Ferrum College Student Athletic Advisory Committee on the Executive Cabinet and is also a personal trainer at the College’s fitness center. He was on the Old Dominion Athletic Conference All Academic Team and recently received the Outstanding Student in Sports Management award during the College’s academic awards ceremony in April.
Karen Carpenter, assistant professor & program coordinator of Health and Human Performance and Ferrum College Fitness Center general manager, knew Hodges to be a hardworking, determined, proactive, goal-oriented and an overall pleasure to be around. “I have had the pleasure of watching him progress, meet challenges head on, and persevere. Walking with him through the graduate school application process and seeing his dreams turn into reality, knowing he will continue to be wildly successful, is extremely rewarding. Bailey is definitely going to do great things,” she said.
Hodges encourages current and prospective students to “live your life ever forward.” “Always do more, always be more, strive to be great, inspire others and motivate others in anything you do in life. You must dream big to achieve big and always let your belief in yourself be greater than anyone else’s doubt,” he concluded.