Originally from Moundridge, Kansas, Kellen Begnoche graduated from Wichita State in 2011 with a master's in education in Sport Management. Begnoche is currently the Director of Service & Activation for the Kansas City Chiefs.

What brought you to WSU?
I had finished my undergrad degree at Kansas State, and was looking for a graduate school and program to continue my education. Having grown up in the greater Wichita area, I was familiar with WSU, and they had the programs I was searching for.

What led you to the WSU Sport Management program?
I’ve always had a passion for marketing, sports, and entertainment. I received my undergrad in Marketing—the economy and job market tanked a few months before I graduated—so I decided to continue my education and pursue my passion for all things business and sports. WSU had a master’s level program that looked to be exactly what I was searching for.

Did you do any internships as a student?
Definitely—during my undergrad years I interned during the summers in marketing roles for major corporations. This allowed me to learn how they operate, while helping me realize I didn’t necessarily enjoy working for such a large company during that stage in my life. I wanted something a little smaller where I felt I could get more hands-on experience in a lot of different areas. While at WSU, I interned and helped out wherever I could: NBC Baseball tournaments, WSU basketball games, a marketing role with the Houston Astros, etc. Anything that would allow me to gain experience, and further meet people and expand my network.

How did your internship and studies at WSU help to prepare you for your current role as Director of Service & Activation?
The program was a great mix of course work, group projects and discussions, and real world experiences from the internships. If anything, the experience you can gain as part of an internship is some of the most valuable you can obtain. You get an opportunity to work in the front office of a sports team, and have access to incredibly talented people in all departments. The perfect chance to network, learn about parts of the business you might not have otherwise known about, and get to see the inner workings of what it takes to put on a major sports event.

What does a Director of Service & Activation do?
In my current role, I oversee the corporate partnerships for the Chiefs. We manage the relationships, deliver the elements in the agreements, work to create value for our clients to help them achieve their business goals. The Chiefs are a powerful force in this market that captures a lot of eyeballs and attention. Our job is to help plug brands into the mix to help them tap into that fan affinity and avidity.

How does your role contribute to the Franchise?
We’re part of the revenue arm for the club, which drives financial results through our partnerships, but also allows us to work with strategic partners in the community to help enhance our own brand presence and fan experience.

When did you begin in your role and how did you get the job?
I’m just finishing my 11^th season with the Chiefs. I initially got the job by networking and applying for all kinds of jobs. I happened to know someone at the Chiefs at the time, I said I’d applied and they helped get my resume in front of the hiring manager. From there, I rarely said “no” to any assignment and just tried to take on as much as I could in an effort to learn, grow, and become a valuable asset to the organization.

What’s it been like to be a part of the franchise during this transformative time?
I’ve grown up as a Chiefs fan and remember a lot of great seasons with some disappointing playoff experiences. When I started here, the team wasn’t great and we had a couple down years. But the ownership and leadership team remained committed to pursuing championships and we kept adding the right pieces and building. Having all of that culminate with the franchise’s second Super Bowl win in 2019 was truly magical. Our fans are the best in sports so it was really special for so many to win that championship, and continue to compete for more championships.

What advice do you have for current Sport Management students about landing a dream job?
Relentless pursuit. If you are serious about landing that ‘dream job’ then you’ve got to fully commit, make sacrifices, and keep grinding. If it’s your dream job, chances are good it’s also someone else’s. You’ve got to continue to out work the competition if you want it. The second piece of advice I’d have is that when you finally land that dream job, the work is just beginning. Continue to grow, learn, and get better every day.

Do you ever interact with the players? Do you know Patrick Mahomes!? 
In this role, we do work with a lot of partners who work with several of our players, Mahomes included. So we get an opportunity to help put together commercial shoots, production days, and community appearances with several members of our team.