Jessica Onyepunuka started her career in collegiate athletics as a student-athlete for University of Southern California's Track & Field program where she was a 5x All-American and team captain.
Shortly after graduating in 2008, Jessica began working in USC's athletic department and hasn't looked back, having now worked there for 10+ years in various roles on the external relations side. Jessica was a presenter at PACnet '20 where she presented on innovative strategies and techniques for digital marketing.
Sports Industry Journey:
Education
D1 Student-Athlete - Track & Field | University of Southern California (USC)
Bachelor's Degree | Political Science and Government | USC
Master's Degree | Marketing Management | USC - Marshall School of Business
Career
Corporate Sponsorships Manager | USC
Assistant Director of Marketing | USC
Assistant Athletic Director of Marketing | USC
LinkedIn: Jessica Onyepunuka
What attracted you to work in sports/collegiate athletics?
I had no plans of what I wanted to do. Even though I was on a full athletic scholarship, I had no extra spending money. One of my teammates was graduating and was working in the athletic department at the time, and she asked if I wanted to take her spot when she left and I agreed. When I took over for her, I did work for anybody [that needed help] in the athletic department. If I had to sort the mail I went there. If I had to work the table at a fundraising event, I went there. I was able to experience all different aspects of an athletic department; stuffing envelopes, putting flyers up, you name it.
At USC, I majored in Poly Sci with a minor in law. I was set to graduate in 2008, but the economy bottomed out and people were losing their jobs. I couldn’t see myself taking on law school debt and I didn't even know what type of law I wanted to practice. I just thought it was cool to work in athletics but I had no idea on how to get in. So after I graduated I ran track professionally for a year and then I worked at an insurance agency for a year. The AD at USC was fired [while I was working at the insurance agency], and the person who was responsible for corporate sponsorships was leaving, so I interviewed for that position and got it and that’s how I got my start.
What is the book (or books you’ve given most as a gift) and why or what are one to three books that have greatly influenced your life?
I read a lot of fiction. Americanah is one of my favorite books. The story is about a Nigerian woman coming to the states and her experiences with black culture and what it means to be black in America. I gifted it to my mom. Between the World and Me had a big impact on me from the standpoint of being able to be an African American and what it means to have a voice.
What purchase of $100 or less has most positively impacted your life in the last six months (or in recent memory)?
Right now I have a Starbucks grid-like type cup. I’m constantly drinking out of it in Zoom meetings. I was not a water drinker before but this makes me want to drink water.
How has a failure, or apparent failure, set you up for later success? Do you have a “favorite failure” of yours?
The first failure that comes to mind was at a women’s soccer game where we did a "Dad’s and Daughters Night" promotion. The promotion was they'd receive two tickets, two hot dogs and a soccer ball. I hadn't been working in marketing for more than a couple of months. I showed up an hour before doors opened and I wasn't used to the fast-paced environment of athletics marketing, so I was moving a little slow to set up. I was just rushing and realized that I did not show up with enough time. The biggest thing I walked away with was, "Do I truly know what it means to be prepared for an event?" Do you have a checklist? Who's on site to help you in case you need something, etc.
Another failure that comes to mind was a pep rally I helped put on with our football team during my second year on the marketing staff. I crashed and burned. The DJ I hired got stage fright. The football team was late. I had to MC the whole thing and on top of that, I accidentally sat on my radio and nobody could talk over it during most of the event. What I learned from that situation was you need to truly understand the logistics of your event.
If you could have a gigantic billboard anywhere in the world with anything on it – and you could get a message out to millions or billions – what would it say and why?
It would be something about personal accountability... something like "People in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones". I feel like people always look outward for a lot of things. Or it would be "We’re all in the same storm, but we’re just in different boats."
What is one of the best or most worthwhile investments you’ve ever made? (Could be an investment of money, time, energy, etc.)
One of the best investments that I’ve ever made was the time I've invested in my personal friendships. That has been beyond worthwhile because what you learn is that your job will ebb and flow and negative things will come at you and it's good to have things that keep you steady, sturdy and grounded. I have a circle that is strong and a circle that I can lean on. A solid professional and personal circle are both incredibly important.
Is there an idea, belief, or trend in the sports industry that you feel strongly about, that others may not agree with and think you're crazy for thinking/saying it?
I think a trend that I feel really strongly about is marketing-related -- create the campaign first and then activate. A lot of times our departments aren't structured correctly. Collegiate marketing should be run like a Nike. Decide who you are, lean into it and you're off to the races.
What advice would you give to a smart, driven college student who is looking to start a career in sports? What advice should they ignore?
I always tell people, you’re hired to do a job so you need to own that job and do it really well. Everyone wants to make their way to the top. Watching that docuseries [The Last Dance], reinforced some things for me. Everyone wants to be Michael Jordan and have the fame, but they don’t want to put in the work like MJ. When you get that job, do it really, really well.
I would also say if you have an idea, voice that idea. Don’t minimize yourself.
Was there a specific point in your career where you started handling tasks/projects that were outside of your comfort zone? If so, what was that specific point and how did you handle feeling overwhelmed?
I think after I've failed, I started getting comfortable admitting that I didn’t know something. In the last four years of my career, my responsibilities have significantly changed.
The two biggest areas [where I've been forced out of my comfort zone] have been on the data side and the ticketing side. Now there are projects that I’m handling where I don’t even know if I'm using the right vernacular. The feeling of being overwhelmed doesn’t go away. But you have people and hobbies to get your mind off of it. Also making sure you do research on whatever task you're doing will help you not feel overwhelmed.
I also invested in a therapist. You don’t need to have a traumatic situation to go to therapy. I’m a talker and it's good because I need someone who I can just talk it all out to.
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