Biography
Rebecca M. Achen, Ph.D., is an assistant professor of sport management in the School of Kinesiology and Recreation at Illinois State University. She graduated with her Ph.D. in sport management from the University of Kansas, where she also taught as a graduate teaching assistant. Prior to that, Rebecca received her master’s degree from Winona State University in Educational Leadership with an emphasis in sport management. Prior to going back to school for her Ph.D., she worked as a Resource Exchange Center account manager at the National Center for Drug Free Sport. She has many years of work experience in higher education administration and sport marketing and sales. Her research focuses on the effectiveness of social media as relationship marketing tools in professional sport. She also conducts research on participant sport, sport sponsorship, and effective teaching. She is passionate about health and fitness and is an avid runner.
Research Interests & Areas
Relationship marketing, social media marketing, sponsorship, marketing in fitness and participation sport, effective teaching, student career development, and experiential learning
Journal Article, Academic Journal
Achen, R. Addressing the “My students cannot write” dilemma: Investigating methods for improving graduate student writing. Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning 18.4 (2018): 71-85.
Achen, R., Kaczorowski, J., Horsmann, T., & Ketzler, A. Exploring content and interaction on Facebook in the off-season: A comparison of United States professional sport leagues. International Journal of Communication and Sport 11 (2018): 389-413.
Achen, R. Improving fitness through interaction on Facebook: Does interaction increase workout frequency, membership length, relationship quality, or renewal intentions?. International Journal of Sport Management 19 (2018): 1-26.
Dodd, R., Achen, R., & Lumpkin, A. Examining the practice of servant leadership and its impact on ethical climate in NCAA Division III athletics. Journal of Values-Based Leadership 11.1 (2018): 1-22.
Dwyer, B., Lupinek, J., & Achen, R. Challenge accepted: Why women play fantasy football. Journal of Sport Management 32 (2018): 376-388.
Presentations
A Qualitative Exploration of Social Media Strategy in the Fitness Industry. Annual Sport Marketing Association Conference. Sport Marketing Association. (2018)
Athletic Identity, Institutional Support Services, and Transition: An Analysis of Student-Athlete Perceptions and Implications. 2018 Illinois State University Research Symposium. (2018)
Does Identification Equal Interaction?. North American Society for Sport Management Annual Conference. (2018)
Encouraging the Integration of Marketing and Communications in Research and Practice. 11th Summit on Communication and Sport. International Association for Communication and Sport. (2018)
Experimental Studies of Social Media in Sport. 2018 Illinois State University Research Symposium. (2018)
The Impact of Media and Message Content on Social Media Engagement in Sport. Annual Sport Marketing Association Conference. Sport Marketing Association. (2018)
The Relationship Between Greek Life And Division III College Athletics. 2018 Illinois State University Research Symposium. (2018)
Use of Social Media Networks and Perceptions of Firm-Generated Content in the Fitness Industry. Global Sport Business Association Annual Conference. (2018)
A Marketing Perfect Storm: A Study on the Timing of Marketing Promotions in NCAA Men's Basketball. 2017 Illinois State University Research Symposium. (2017)
Can Facebook Interaction Encourage Physical Activity, Improve Relationship Quality, and Increase Membership Tenure and Renewals? A Structural Equation Modeling Approach. Annual Sport Marketing Association Conference. Sport Marketing Association. (2017)
Grants & Contracts
2018-2019 Assessment Initiative Award. University Assessment Services. Illinois State University. (2018)
Why do I Like, Comment, and Share? A Mixed Method Exploration of Engagement Behavior on Facebook. CAST. Illinois State University. (2017)
An Analysis of Social Media Marketing Strategy during the Off-Season in United States Professional Sport. CAST. Illinois State University. (2016)
Improving the graduate student experience through out-of-class experiences: Assessing the professional field trip. ISU SoTL Research Grant. Illinois State University. (2016)
SoTL Research Mini Award. Office of the Cross Chair in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. Illinois State University. (2016)
