From Hingham to Michigan to UMass

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To many, the University of Massachusetts Amherst is a massive school, but to Luca Sgobbo it feels tiny and tight-knit. Luca, a member of the class of 2026, transferred from Michigan State University, a school with an undergraduate population of more than 50,000 students. 

Luca loved his time at Michigan State. A huge sports fan, he enjoyed attending tailgates and games for MSU’s storied basketball and football teams. He also had a great group of friends with whom he still stays in touch. However, to pursue his dream of working in an NBA front office, he needed a school that put him in the best position to succeed. In his search for a better fit, UMass Amherst’s “sports management program and Isenberg stood out to me,” said Luca. This is for good reason: The  McCormack Department of Sports Management is a top undergraduate sports management program in the country, and the education is supplemented by business classes from the prestigious Isenberg School of Management. 

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So he transferred halfway through his sophomore year, and in his short time at UMass has already become fascinated with his classes, especially Introduction to Sports Management and Introduction to Law.

Transferring is not always easy, but Luca was able to adjust to his new surroundings in no time due to the friendly environment of UMass. He quickly made new friends through games of pickup basketball, as well as in his dorm, John Quincy Adams Hall. He remarked, “I feel like everyone knows each other and there’s a good sense of community.” Luca also felt much more comfortable being closer to home. As a native of Hingham, Massachusetts, Luca is only about two hours away from home in Eastern Massachusetts and has friends at many other schools nearby. “Being back home in Massachusetts is a big plus, I can go home whenever I want to, and I can visit all my friends in Massachusetts whenever I want to,” he said. He is even flying back out to Michigan state to see his old friends soon.