Hofstra partners with New York Islanders and UBS Arena

THE BLUEPRINT:

Five-year partnership links Hofstra, the New York Islanders and UBS Arena.

Students gain hands-on career experience through internships and projects.

Agreement includes ticket discounts, guest lectures and joint events.

Employees of Islanders, UBS Arena and Oak View Group qualify for tuition reimbursement at Hofstra.

Hofstra University, the New York Islanders and UBS Arena are teaming up in a five-year partnership that bolsters Long Island‘s sports and entertainment ecosystem by providing students with real-world career experience, growing the Islanders’ and arena’s talent pipeline and strengthening community connections.

As the official university partner of the Islanders and UBS Arena, Hofstra will offer students opportunities to gain real-world skills through internships, experiential-learning projects and industry exposure in sports media, video production, public relations, marketing and more.

As part of the partnership, Hofstra will receive a dedicated ticket portal with preferred pricing for students, faculty and staff at select Islanders’ home games. The agreement also calls for annual guest lectures from Islanders and UBS Arena executives and joint community and campus events featuring Islanders’ mascots Sparky, Nyisles and Hofstra’s Kate and Willy.

“I am very excited about this partnership with the New York Islanders and UBS Arena, and the opportunities it will provide our students,” Hofstra University President Susan Poser said in a news release about the partnership.

“Collaborations like this prepare students for success and grow Hofstra’s network on Long Island and beyond,” Poser said.

As part of the agreement, full-time employees of the Islanders, UBS Arena and Oak View Group, the arena’s operating partner, will qualify for graduate tuition reimbursement at Hofstra.

“This partnership is a true win for the Islanders, UBS Arena and the students of Hofstra University,” Kelly Cheeseman, president of Business Operations for the New York Islanders and UBS Arena, said in the news release.

“As Long Island’s hockey team in a world-class venue, we’re excited to offer unmatched, hands-on professional experiences — and to give students and faculty incredible access to the entertainment and energy of our games, including special student and faculty ticket offers,” Cheeseman added. “We look forward to working with Hofstra to develop the next generation of sports and entertainment leaders and to grow our fan base for years to come.”