Getting paid to promote and go to sporting events was an ideal gig for a college-aged Mike Stamus  — and years later, not much has changed.

“My brother was a sports writer for newspapers, and I was the little brother who wanted to be just like him,” said Stamus, associate director of sports information for the Athletic Association.

In high school, he became editor of the school newspaper and later wrote for the college paper his first year as an undergraduate at Virginia Tech. But his stint at the college news rag didn’t last long.

“I got a call from the assistant sports information director at the university, and he offered me a job working in his office,” Stamus said. “He wanted me to go to games and work around the sports teams — and get paid for it — and I jumped at the chance.”

After graduating from Virginia Tech in 1982, it didn’t take Stamus long to realize that working in college athletics was where he wanted to be full time. He accepted a position at Georgia Tech less than a year later and has been here ever since.

Read on to learn more about Stamus and his time at Tech.

Tell us about an average day in your job.           
I work most closely with the men’s basketball team, but I also cover communications for the golf team and men’s tennis. My days are spent coordinating media requests related to the teams and attending games and practices during the respective seasons. I also work on media guides and programs for various sports, and I am the person who issues credentials to the media for football and men’s basketball events.

What is one thing you’d like people to know about your job?       
A lot of people see me having a great time at the games and don’t realize all of the long hours and behind-the-scenes work that goes into supporting the communications needs of these teams. My opportunity to finally relax is at the games!

What is the one piece of technology you couldn’t live without?     
Actually, it’s a few things. I usually always have my laptop, phone, and iPad with me.

What are a few things that every employee should do while working at Tech?
Go to the Varsity and eat a chili dog. Run the Pi Mile, and come and see a football or basketball game.  

Where is your favorite spot on campus? 
Tech Square. It’s been amazing to see it go from being an idea to a reality. From the restaurants to Barnes & Noble @ Georgia Tech, it’s just a great gathering place.

What do you do in your spare time?  
From April to September, I work as one of two scorers for the Atlanta Braves. Baseball has always been my favorite sport, and I learned how to score it in college. Over my years at Tech, I developed a relationship with a media relations person for the Braves and mentioned that I would love to score if the opportunity ever presented itself. In the 1990s, I started subbing for one of the scorers, and the next thing I knew, it was a regular job. There are 81 home games each year, and I work half of them. It’s a great way to spend my evenings, and I see many of the members of the media who are important to the work I do at Tech. It’s a win-win. And yes, I have been booed a time or two, but we have to be objective. After all, we’re paid by Major League Baseball, not the Braves.

Where is your favorite spot to have lunch?   
I love Figo, and I don’t have a favorite item to order. It’s usually a different pasta dish each time.

Tell us something unique about yourself.   
I don’t have cable TV. Personally, I just think it’s a waste of money.