Cheryl R. Rode

Dr. Cheryl R. Rode serves as an Associate Professor in the College of Hospitality, Sport, and Tourism Management at Niagara University, where she joined in Fall 2017. She teaches undergraduate and graduate courses including Issues in Sport, Introduction to Sport Management, Sport Governance, and a Vincentian Social Justice course on Sport Equity.

Her educational background includes:

• B.S. in Horticulture, Texas A&M University (2001)
• B.S. in Agriculture Science with teacher certification, Texas A&M University (2004)
• M.S. in Kinesiology with concentration in Sport Management, Texas A&M University (2008)
• Ph.D. in Sport Studies with concentration in Sport Management, University of Tennessee, Knoxville (2015)

Dr. Rode's research centers on sport tourism motivations, particularly RV travel to college football games involving tailgating and self-accommodation. She extensively examines gender dynamics including women's participation, transgender inclusion policies, and experiential learning frameworks in sport management. Her scholarly work has appeared in the Global Sport Business Journal and Journal of Sport, with presentations at major conferences like the North American Society for Sport Management and College Sport Research Institute.

Prior to Niagara, she taught at Texas Tech University and Ohio Dominican University while serving as an academic advisor for undeclared students and learning specialist in Texas A&M's athletic department for seven years. She currently advises the Sport Management Association and Sport & Entertainment Club, and serves on Niagara's Academic Senate Executive Committee, Women's Studies Committee, and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion initiatives including Take Back the Night planning.