Press release and photo provided to The Quill by Professor Max Meng
Relaxing on the shore with beach-lean friends and others with athletic physiques is the usual vibe during Spring Break. For obvious reasons this year, it’s canceled—but that doesn’t mean we cannot virtually experience some aspects of Spring Break. Nick Topel, who has one of the most aesthetic physiques on the planet, will make a virtual appearance to our student body.
Topel, an American fitness model, professional bodybuilder, entrepreneur, professionally endorsed athlete and social media influencer who reaches more than 7 million people on a monthly basis, will speak to management students of the Sigmund Weis School of Business on Wednesday, March 24th at 7 p.m. He will present “Understanding How Brand Marketers Engage Customers Through Social Media Influencers.” This event is open to all students, faculty and staff who wish to participate and ask him questions. You can join his presentation here: https://susqu.zoom.us/j/92036882805.
Topel was named to Fit Media’s 2019 list of “World’s 10 Hottest Physiques,” is a co-owner of the men’s health and wellness brand called Model Trainers, and has made appearances on FOX Television, BravoTV and 15 magazine covers. Many gym-goers are familiar with Topel since he is featured in FitMedia’s three-part “Model Body Workout Series.”
Topel graduated from Ohio State University with a degree in mechanical engineering and worked as an analyst in the petroleum industry before focusing on fitness, modeling and entertainment. He applied his engineering skills to physique sports and learned to coach himself without the assistance of performance enhancing agents.
As an expert wellness consultant, Topel believes that any great physique is rooted in the fundamentals of basic training principles, proper nutrition and prioritized recovery. He frequently contributes to top publications such as PopSugar, Business Insider and Well+Good, where his engineering background influences a data driven approach to physical transformation and wellness.
If you’re wondering why an Instagram celebrity is speaking to our management and marketing students, that’s an interesting story alone. As part of the course for MGMT 280 Marketing, students are asked to study modern branding and promotion strategies using social media. At the beginning of the semester, Professor Max Meng encouraged students of his marketing class to engage social influencers among their various social media platforms.
Topel, who is a sponsored athlete of Bio-Engineering Supplements and Nutrition, Inc. (BSN), responded and said he would speak to students in Meng’s class via Zoom and discuss how he helps promote BSN products as a social media influencer. When word circulated on campus that Topel was making a virtual appearance, Matthew Rousu, dean of the Sigmund Weis School of Business, suggested that Topel’s presentation be rescheduled in the evening to allow more students the opportunity to attend. When Professor Meng tried to reschedule the event, Topel was in Australia at the time on a photo shoot—that is, according to students who were following Topel on Instagram. Eventually Topel agreed and he rearranged his modeling schedule for March 24 at 7 p.m. to talk to our student body.