The Chicago Cubs are one of five organizations to be named a finalist for The Allan H. Selig Award for Philanthropic Excellence, which was created in 2010 to recognize the charitable and philanthropic efforts of MLB Clubs.
Together with the Atlanta Braves, the Kansas City Royals, the Minnesota Twins, and the Washington Nationals, the Cubs are being recognized for their good works. Specifically, the Cubs are nominated based on their Careers As Sports Executives program:
“Too often, the doors to opportunity in sports are open only to those who have connections or know someone in the industry. Careers As Sports Executives (CASE) is a free study program for high school students who are interested in sports — and perhaps careers in sports — but who would otherwise not have the opportunity to get the training, experience and tutelage to pursue jobs in the industry. CASE aims to offer pathways to create a more diverse workforce in the sports industry. Students gain an understanding of the academic and professional pathways they can take to break into the sports industry and make connections they can count on to help them start their career.”
The CASE program, co-founded by Theo Epstein, Scott Harris (now Tigers President), and Meghan Jones (now Cubs VP of Baseball Strategy), is simply trying to give young people a chance to connect with the operation of sports at a formative period of their life.
Jobs available in front offices have long been insulated, even if unintentionally, by the whole “you have to know the right people” thing. That has led to a disproportionate share of executives who come from only a small handful of schools, with similar backgrounds, cultures, races, and genders. Programs like the CASE program seek to provide opportunities where previously there had been none. It’s not only about providing those opportunities out of a sense of community and charity, but also simply to ensure the best possible pool of candidates are available in the long-term for MLB organizations.
Voting on the award is available here. More on the Case Study Program from the Cubs here.