David Hainline ’83 mentors entrepreneurship, tourism students

By Kandace York

Watching David Hainline interact with students in the Hub at the College of Business, it’s clear that his loyalty to Bowling Green State University matches his ability to help students develop skills they will need in their careers.

Through his company CSI DMC, one of the country’s leading destination and event management companies, Hainline worked with leaders in the College of Business and the College of Education and Human Development to create a new course: Entrepreneurship in Event Management.

The course, first offered in Fall 2018, blends entrepreneurship with event management. CSI DMC leaders coached students in real-world skills, from accounting to marketing; as a final project, students presented their event ideas to the class with the same energy, preparation and “grit” the workplace will demand when they graduate.

Hainline recognized the top students from that latest class in February. More meaningful than the awards he gave that day, though, were the endorsements he provided for students’ portfolios as they prepare for their careers.

This class is just the most recent example of Hainline “coming back and giving back” to University students. To encourage more students to explore entrepreneurship, Hainline founded the David S. Hainline Entrepreneurship Scholarship.

In 2019, he was inducted into the Paul J. Hooker Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership Hall of Fame. He has also served on the Alumni Board, and he has been named Accomplished Graduate for the College of Arts and Sciences. Hainline graduated from the University in 1983 with a bachelor’s degree in radio, television and film, now known as media production and studies.  

The Entrepreneurship in Event Management students Hainline recognized included:

Top place: Blue Ridge Experience

• Cole Clyne
• Stephanie Cotrone
• Jack Herrick
• Meg Meissner
• Stephen Miller

Runner-up: Zarisma

• Holla Cipolla
• Laura Mosler
• Meaghan Saettel
• Dakata Yount

Third place: Benchmark Management

• Andrew Abrahamowicz
• Brian Atkins
• Erin Garrick
• Shalynne Owens