From UF to the NBA: How Online M.S. in Tourism, Hospitality and Event Management Student Mya Green Scored a Job With the Miami Heat

It’s all part of the job for Green, an event services coordinator with the Heat who is also a student in the University of Florida’s online Master’s in Tourism, Hospitality and Event Management program. The Clermont native earned her bachelor’s in Tourism, Hospitality and Event Management in May of 2025, secured an internship with the Heat that following August, and was hired full-time by the team in December.

“I’m finding that I am learning things that directly apply to what I’m doing now in project management and advance event management,” Green said. “Honestly, the things I’m learning now coordinate a lot with what I’m doing. So it’s been super beneficial.”

That’s the goal of the M.S. online program, said Dr. Rachel J.C. Fu, chair and professor in the Department of Tourism, Hospitality and Event Management. “When our students earn positions with elite organizations like the Miami Heat, it demonstrates that rigorous academics, industry engagement, and applied learning produce results,” she said. “Mya is not only advancing her own career, she is showing future students what is possible.”

Gaining an Advantage in a Competitive Field

Green had always enjoyed attending concerts and sporting events, and was a competitive swimmer growing up. It all piqued her interest in related career fields, leading her to the Tourism, Hospitality and Event Management bachelor’s program at UF. During her time in Gainesville she worked for Gator Hospitality as a FANgineer, welcoming guests to the premium spaces at football, baseball and basketball games and helping to elevate their experiences.

“I love interacting with people and putting my best foot forward and making sure that everyone gets a great experience out of whatever we are doing at the moment,” Green said. “I love meeting new people and I love to travel, which is why I’ve grown to love hospitality. Even though my job now is a bit more on the events side, hospitality still plays a big role when you’re interacting with many people at a big arena.”

Green said her time as a FANgineer opened her eyes to the operational side of sports. Her undergraduate experience helped prepare her to work as an intern with the Heat. She decided to pursue the Tourism, Hospitality and Event Management M.S. online program because “I wanted to gain a bit more knowledge, and I felt it would really give me the upper hand,” Green said. “I felt like this would be something that would be very beneficial to me.”

And indeed, a M.S. online degree can help candidates stand out. “The event and sports industries are intensely competitive,” Dr. Fu said. “A specialized master’s degree signals advanced expertise, strategic thinking, and commitment to professional growth. It distinguishes candidates who understand not just operations, but analytics, leadership, innovation, and long-term value creation. In a competitive marketplace, advanced credentials combined with real-world experience distinguish professionals and set them apart. That difference matters.”

Green’s job with the Heat hinges on skills like advance planning, coordination and execution, all of which are honed in a Tourism, Hospitality and Event Management M.S. online program built around real-world strategy, analysis and decision-making. “Students are not just studying theory,” Dr. Fu said. “They are solving current industry challenges alongside seasoned faculty and industry leaders. We integrate real cases from hospitality, tourism, sports and large-scale events so graduates are ready to operate in high-performance environments from day one.”

Program Designed for Working Professionals

On certain game days, Green’s workday begins in the office at 9 a.m. and ends after the last guest has departed the arena that night. Given that schedule, the flexibility of the Tourism, Hospitality and Event Management M.S. online program has proven crucial to her ability to pursue an advanced degree while maintaining her role with the Heat at the same time.

“I have a really busy schedule, but UF Online has given me so much flexibility to be able to have a full-time job and also be a full-time student,” Green said. “Having prerecorded lectures I can watch on my own time has been very beneficial, because on event days I’m usually not home until past midnight. I’m able to do my assignments whenever I have free time, which is a huge help in being able to work and be in this program at the same time.”

That’s not by accident—the Tourism, Hospitality and Event Management M.S. online program is intentionally designed for working professionals, Dr. Fu said. “Talent shouldn’t have to choose between career momentum and academic advancement,” she added. “Flexibility allows students like Mya to immediately apply what they learn in the classroom to their current roles. That real-time integration of theory and practice accelerates growth and makes the learning far more practical.”

That education comes in handy when working with the three-time NBA champions or managing a concert schedule that runs the gamut from UFC to Lady Gaga. For Green, though, the gratification is more personal—seeing 20,000 people in the arena and knowing she helped make their experience memorable. “Being able to put on that event for them is very satisfying,” she said. “I just want to make sure that they get the full, positive experience that they were hoping for.”

And it all started at UF—with a Tourism, Hospitality and Event Management bachelor’s degree, and an M.S. online degree to come. “It’s been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made “ Green said. “I definitely bleed blue and orange. I’m a Gators fan forever. It means the world to be able to speak about my experience and how I got here, and hopefully inspire some other Gators to honestly dream big.”

About the online Master of Science in Tourism, Hospitality and Event Management 

The 100% online, instructor-led Master of Science in Tourism, Hospitality and Event Management is designed for busy, working professionals and those just getting started in their careers.     

This program allows you to earn your degree and apply what you learn in the classroom to your current and future work environments. Using real data from top industry experts, graduate students develop resource-based views and comprehensive strategies for managing and leading tourism, hospitality and event organizations. Students will also obtain a holistic perspective of environmental concerns that impact visitation to sensitive areas, including how to build sustainable initiatives into a business model and how to use unique faculty-developed tools to better respond to these issues.  

Ignite your tourism, hospitality and event management career with our streamlined admissions process.