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Kim DeCredico '96 helped open the door for the first-ever trip to the Daytona 500 for BW sport management programs.
BW students at the 2025 Daytona 500
With key help from Baldwin Wallace University alumna Kim DeCredico '96, a group of 10 sport management students and professors Charles Campisi and Tony Dick headed to Daytona Beach, Florida, to experience "The Great American Race" for the first time in program history.
DeCredico, vice president at Kaulig Media, is responsible for public relations, content creation and media for Matt Kaulig, philanthropist, award-winning entrepreneur, owner of Kaulig Racing (NASCAR) and MLB minority owner of the Cleveland Guardians.
DeCredico takes pride in the impact of that marriage of accomplishments and interests.
"This year marks the fourth year of our partnership between Matt's NASCAR team, Kaulig Racing, Kaulig Giving and The NASCAR Foundation," DeCredico says. "Since 2022, we have hosted over 3,500 kids and have given away over 1,899 new bicycles and bike helmets."
As part of the BW experience at Daytona, DeCredico gave students an inside look and a role in the kickoff of the annual partnership, where they built more than 100 bikes at the Speediatrics Fun Day Festival.
"This project brings hope, opportunity and plenty of love and care to children in need who reside in race markets across the country," DeCredico says.
At the Daytona International Speedway, the sport management students were also able to meet with Matt Kaulig himself, interact with all five of the Kaulig Racing NASCAR drivers, receive a behind-the-scenes tour and exclusive access to NASCAR haulers, learn the sport by walking the track, visit the Pit boxes, meet the pit crew and talk with NASCAR executives.
Sport management major Nate Schweinberg '27 from Gilbert, Arizona, says he has gained a tremendous amount of experience through various experiential learning trips at BW, including Super Bowl LVIII, the NCAA Women's Final Four, the 2024 NHL Draft, the 2024 Paris Olympics with Team USA and, now, the Daytona 500.
Schweinberg says, "Through my experiences and with the assistance from BW faculty and Kim DeCredico, I earned the opportunity to help work the Daytona 500, one of the biggest stages in the world. This trip was an amazing and unreal experience that was huge for the program and BW itself."
DeCredico has also hosted BW sport management students as interns for the PGA Champions Tour Major at Firestone CC in Akron, Ohio, where she handles local and national PR and media.
Looking back at her time at BW as a communication major, DeCredico appreciates her time as a track and field Yellow Jacket. "As a former BW athlete, I was competitive and had a strong work ethic that translated easily to business," she recalls. "I am successful today because of my competitive spirit and willingness to work hard."
DeCredico also values the freedom she had to focus on external internships and real-world experiences, which helped to create a network on and off campus and to secure a job post-graduation.
Today, DeCredico is instrumental in creating the same kinds of real-world experiences she valued as an undergrad to BW students following in her footsteps.
