Hometown: North Salem, NY
Major: Economics
How did you learn about this opportunity?
Someone who worked in my dad’s office in New York City knew the marketing coordinator here at Penn State. We started to email back and forth and then we met formally. After that meeting, she offered me a position as a game-day and marketing intern.
Tell us a little about your experience.
Some of the most valuable skills I have learned from this experience were the leadership and networking skills. Networking is important in all professions, but especially in the sports world. Getting a job in sports can include so many different careers. A person could work for a sports team and deal with the internal and external relations of that team. A person can also work for an agency that represents athletes when it comes to contracts, legal issues, finance, and/or marketing. A person can also work for a company like Learfield Sports and focus a variety of fields including sponsorships, hospitality, sales, marketing, and media relations. What I have learned from my internship with Learfield Sports is that you can never meet too many people. An aspect of my job is to interact with clients and ensure that they are pleased with the product we design and promote. I have met the CEO of our company, high-level managers within Dunkin’ Donuts, as well as high-level officials within the Penn State Athletics Department. I try to network and develop as many connections as I can because I might find that I enjoy that sector of the sports market.
Overall, this experience has taught me the value of teamwork, especially in sports.
How did this experience impact you academically?
In some of my courses, communication is key to doing well in the class and earning a good grade. My internship has provided me with another opportunity to develop great communication skills. We are encouraged to engage with our clients and to communicate with as many of our sponsors as possible. As a result, I now find myself communicating with my professors and developing relationships with them more than I ever have in the past, which will be useful if I ever need a letter of recommendation.
What are your career goals and plans? How did this experience impact them?
My short-term career goal is to get a job in the sports field. At this point, I have participated in internships in sports finance, sales, and marketing. I am open to working in any of these fields in the future. Overall, this experience has taught me the value of teamwork, especially in sports.
Would you recommend this experience to other Liberal Arts students? If yes, why?
I would recommend this internship because it taught me some great lessons in time management as well as networking. I interacted with officials from Penn State Athletics as well as clients and sponsors of PSU athletics.