By Eric Stann
Dec. 15, 2025
Contact: Eric Stann, StannE@missouri.edu
Photo courtesy Caroline Matz
When Caroline Matz transferred to the University of Missouri, her world expanded, opening her path in ways she hadn’t imagined. At Mizzou, hands-on experiences and a strong sense of community helped her turn a lifelong passion for sports into clear professional direction.
Growing up in Sedalia, Missouri, Matz was surrounded by black and gold. Her grandparents, aunts, uncles, mom and two older sisters all graduated from Mizzou, and Tiger pride was woven into her upbringing. Sports were also central to her identity, as she grew up playing baseball, basketball, softball and tennis.
Matz started at State Fair Community College to explore academic options and stay close to her family as she settled into her next chapter. Her oldest sister was working for Mizzou’s College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR) at the time and encouraged Matz to check it out. When Matz discovered Mizzou’s degree in parks, recreation, sport and tourism with an emphasis in sport management, she found a career path that would keep her connected to the games she loved.
At Mizzou, Matz quickly found her place, participating in Tiger Walk and attending her first home football game. But what truly grounded her was the close-knit atmosphere within CAFNR.
“It felt like my own small community inside the bigger university,” she said. “Growing up in a small Missouri town, I was used to knowing the people around me. Finding that same sense of connection at Mizzou made campus feel like home.”
Saying yes to opportunities
Driven by curiosity and a desire to learn, Matz made the most of the opportunities Mizzou provided.
She volunteered at campus sporting events such as golf tournaments and swim meets to broaden her understanding of athletics. She joined CAFNR’s student council, planning events and helping fellow transfer students navigate their own transitions.
Professional conferences challenged her to step outside her comfort zone and introduced her to a wide variety of careers across the sport and recreation industry.
Then came a defining experience: joining Mizzou Athletics.
Working in the ticket office of a Southeastern Conference school gave Matz a firsthand look at the fast-moving, highly coordinated world of collegiate athletics. The pace, collaboration and behind-the-scenes teamwork were more inspiring than she had imagined. The experience reinforced her desire to pursue a career in athletics and gave her the professional confidence she had been seeking.
That confidence carried into her senior capstone project, which took her back to State Fair Community College. Drawing on what she learned at Mizzou, Matz developed a digital display that will live within the college’s new athletic complex to showcase decades of student-athlete academic achievements.
“The experiences I had at Mizzou — in the classroom, on campus and with athletics — gave me the foundation to succeed,” she said. “Everything I was able to do there prepared me to contribute meaningfully the moment I began my capstone.”
As she approaches graduation, Matz is exploring roles in college athletics, as well as community parks and recreation, fields where she can continue shaping spaces that inspire connection and growth.
Her message for future Tigers, especially transfer students? Say yes.
“Every experience, good or bad, teaches you something,” she said. “And you never know which connection will open a door.”
