Spencer Jamieson knew at the young age of 5 that baseball was his passion. He started playing catch with his dad at that time and remembers sitting in the stands watching his father’s slow pitch tournaments in the town of Burlington, Ontario, Canada where he was born and raised.
Jamieson played ball all through school and eventually joined the Ontario Royals, a travel team that was big on getting player exposure. “The coaches wanted us to play in the US where there were more opportunities for college scholarships,” Jamieson recalls.
Cleary was one school that noticed him. Jamieson went on two visits to the university, and “it offered the best opportunity for me in the classroom and on the ballfield,” he felt.
“And I really liked the newer baseball field,” he adds. Cleary offered him a baseball scholarship, so Jamieson traveled four hours from his home to become a Cougar. He was on the team for four years, served as a student worker in the athletic department during that time, and accepted a graduate assistant position working under the Director of Athletics.
“I’ve always wanted to work in sports operations, and when Cleary offered me the opportunity to work for Max (Max Ballinger, director of Athletics at Cleary), how could I pass that up?” he says. As a graduate assistant to the athletic director, Jamieson learned day-to-day operations, what it takes to run a university athletic department, and the skills needed to do the job. He oversaw game day operations, communications with coaches and officials, logistics, weekly itineraries for the teams and everything that revolves around game day.
Today, five years later, not surprisingly, Jamieson proudly accepted the Cleary Graduate Leadership Award for demonstrating superior leadership in teamwork, scholarship, and communication and presentation skills in graduate level coursework. He completed his bachelor’s degree in Sports Management with a minor in Project Management in 2024, and one year later, he obtained a master’s degree in Strategic Leadership from Cleary.
He now serves as Director of Stadium Operations for the Royal Oak Leprechauns, one of 26 teams in the Northwoods League, considered a valuable training ground for players, coaches, umpires and front office staff. It is the largest organized summer collegiate baseball league in the world.
“I will go where the opportunities are,” Jamieson says when talking about his career.
He feels Cleary has prepared him well for the future. “My master’s degree in strategic leadership helped with improving my communication skills and planning management competencies,” he finds. Overall, “my education at Cleary will make me a better leader. I learned practical skills that will translate well into my profession … my passion,” he adds. “I learned a lot about building connections and relationships on and off the ballfield.
“Cleary was a good choice for me,” he reports. “I made connections with student athletes in many sports, and these relationships will last well past graduation. I am very happy with my education, and I feel confident about my future.
“Cleary is a small school that continues to grow in the right direction. I became part of a close- knit family as a student and athlete.”
When asked if he had any advice for prospective student athletes, Jamieson says, “if you want to grow as a leader in business, Cleary is the place for you.”
He urges current student athletes at Cleary, “don’t be afraid to reach out and make connections. These will help you far beyond graduation. Something big is happening at Cleary, and you can be part of it.”
