UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — A surprise classroom lecturer was a slam dunk for students at Penn State.

An ambassador for the Original Harlem Globetrotters, Julian “Zeus” McClurkin, travels to communities in advance of the team’s games to promote the upcoming event, often visiting elementary schools and children's hospitals.

McClurkin also took time on Jan. 31 to meet with undergraduate students enrolled in RPTM 370 Arena Management, a course held inside the Bryce Jordan Center, while promoting the Globetrotters' Feb. 12 game at the arena.

A forward for the team, McClurkin also has a bachelor’s degree in business management and a master’s degree in marketing and communication. He answered students’ questions about his career and shared a key piece of advice that has helped him along the way.

“Be coachable,” McClurkin said. “Listen to your parents, your teachers, your bosses — anybody who wants to give you knowledge and information, you should listen to them.”

McClurkin also said it is important for college students to identify their strengths and passions.

“Follow what you’re good at and know what you’re good at and use this time (as students) to know what that is,” he said.

For student Fiona Frassinelli, who is pursuing a career in arena management, she appreciated the surprise opportunity to hear the perspective of an athlete who visits arenas around the world.

“It is beneficial to hear what they expect, what they view as negative, and what they favor when it comes to visiting an arena,” Frassinelli said. “To hear from someone so prominent and with such experience was really cool.”

Bernard Punt, instructor of the course and director of marketing for the Bryce Jordan Center, arranged McClurkin’s classroom visit because the focal point of the course is to provide students with authentic experiences.

“This class is about the real world. It’s not theory. We tell it like it is in real world situations,” Punt said.

After class, McClurkin took time to talk with students, help some spin a basketball on one finger, and pose for photos.

The Harlem Globetrotters are legendary worldwide, offering one-of-a-kind family entertainment and great basketball skills for the past 90 years. Throughout their history, the Original Harlem Globetrotters have showcased their iconic talents in 122 countries and territories on six continents, often breaking down cultural and societal barriers while providing fans with their first-ever basketball experience.

Proud inductees of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, the Globetrotters have entertained hundreds of millions of fans — among them popes, kings, queens and presidents.