September 17, 2012
Like so many young men and women, Joe Stravato ’06CPS,
’09MBA always dreamed of working in professional sports. And thanks
to his two degrees from St. John’s University, that dream has
quickly turned into reality.
Currently serving as Assistant to the Chief Operating Officer at
the National Hockey League, this hard-working double alumnus is
making his mark on one of America’s most popular and successful
sports leagues.
“I knew from a young age that I wanted to work in professional
sports,” Stravato said. “In fact, I actually decided to go to St.
John’s precisely because of its program in Sport Management. While
I was studying there, I considered working in sports marketing,
college athletics or becoming an agent, but, ultimately, I landed
at the NHL and it’s been a perfect opportunity.”
As a student, Stravato got involved with a number of activities on
campus, including the Sport Management Club, interning with the
Office of Athletics and playing intramural sports. Between classes
and extracurriculars, he developed an extensive list of St. John’s
friends and contacts and continues to do that in the professional
world.
“I always tell people that the main attraction of St. John’s is its
alumni,” Stravato said. “It’s funny how many people you’ll meet,
especially working in Manhattan, who either went to St. John’s or
know someone who did. This is no exaggeration: I don’t go a week
without talking to someone about the University.”
In fact, Stravato is quick to point out that the alumni network
helped him land his job at the NHL.
“When I was getting my graduate degree, I met a fellow classmate
who happened to work at the NHL,” Stravato explained. “He was one
of the reasons that I’m working here, so the whole networking
aspect of my St. John’s education really came full circle. It’s had
a pretty meaningful impact on me just like so many others.”
Now, Stravato is responsible for assisting the NHL’s COO in a
variety of ways. He interacts with team Presidents and Owners,
coordinates accommodations for the league’s high-level guests and
attends marquee events, including the Stanley Cup Finals, Winter
Classic and All-Star Game.
“That’s definitely one of the bright spots of the job,” Stravato
said. “I’ve been a lifelong fan of the NHL, so it’s pretty cool to
be at all of these signature games. And the league has been doing
extremely well lately, with a number of big-market and small-market
teams having success. Everyone is really excited for next
season.”
And Stravato certainly hasn’t forgotten his St. John’s roots. He
remains good friends with a number of former classmates and gets
involved on campus whenever he can.
“You get that sense of community from St. John’s,” he said. “Even
here at the NHL, there are a bunch of us who graduated from the
University. It gives you that sense of security, that common
ground, and that’s why it’s so great to stay involved with the STJ
community.”