Jesse Lewis
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Nov. 21, 2004 12:00 AM
TUCSON - The University of Arizona's racetrack industry program, the only one of its kind in the nation, helps its students prepare for careers in the racing industry.
The program teaches students the ins and outs of the racing industry in every discipline, including management, food and beverage services, equine science, show jumping, breeding and raising horses and everything in between.
"There are tons of different career paths in this program," said F. Douglas Reed, director of the racetrack industry program. The program, in the animal sciences department, consists of about 50 students and three faculty members who teach the classes.
There is only one other school in the nation that offers a similar program, the University of Louisville in Kentucky, but its program is more focused on equine science, or the direct study of breeding and racing horses.
While students in the UA's program have the option to go down the equine science path, they can also decide to follow the management path. Every semester, the UA program brings in employers from the racetrack industry to offer positions to students.
Because the program is so small, opportunities for students are endless, Reed said. "We have more internship programs wanting our interns than we do interns. We can generally fit a student and almost tailor-make an internship program for them," Reed said.
The Racetrack Industry Program is also beginning a master's program, which was recently approved, and students can begin the program in Spring 2005. Students in the program can choose two different paths. The business path educates students about employment in areas of racetrack management and regulation and pari-mutuel, a type of betting in racing, Reed said.
The equine path focuses on horses and prepares students for racing and breeding animals, Reed said. Students can also study the management of a dog-racing track, though there are no students involved in that specialization right now, Reed said.
Jenna Ramirez, a senior in the program, said people have a lot of misconceptions about the work the students do in the program. "People think this program is about betting, (but) we learn about managing a track," Ramirez said.
The program teaches students the ins and outs of the racing industry in every discipline, including management, food and beverage services, equine science, show jumping, breeding and raising horses and everything in between.
"There are tons of different career paths in this program," said F. Douglas Reed, director of the racetrack industry program. The program, in the animal sciences department, consists of about 50 students and three faculty members who teach the classes.
There is only one other school in the nation that offers a similar program, the University of Louisville in Kentucky, but its program is more focused on equine science, or the direct study of breeding and racing horses.
While students in the UA's program have the option to go down the equine science path, they can also decide to follow the management path. Every semester, the UA program brings in employers from the racetrack industry to offer positions to students.
Because the program is so small, opportunities for students are endless, Reed said. "We have more internship programs wanting our interns than we do interns. We can generally fit a student and almost tailor-make an internship program for them," Reed said.
The Racetrack Industry Program is also beginning a master's program, which was recently approved, and students can begin the program in Spring 2005. Students in the program can choose two different paths. The business path educates students about employment in areas of racetrack management and regulation and pari-mutuel, a type of betting in racing, Reed said.
The equine path focuses on horses and prepares students for racing and breeding animals, Reed said. Students can also study the management of a dog-racing track, though there are no students involved in that specialization right now, Reed said.
Jenna Ramirez, a senior in the program, said people have a lot of misconceptions about the work the students do in the program. "People think this program is about betting, (but) we learn about managing a track," Ramirez said.
- Updated: June 20, 2005