Students share advice, experiences at Sport Management Internship Forum

The Sport Management Department hosted its annual fall internship forum on Oct. 1, featuring a lively panel discussion and poster session.

During the panel discussion at the Sport Management Internship Forum, Kevin Cunningham ’19 takes the mic to answer a question for the audience. This summer Cunningham was a marketing intern at Octagon, a top sponsorship consulting practice that represents clients such as Stephen Curry, Michael Phelps and Simone Biles.

​During summer 2018 nearly 40 students completed the Sport Management Department’s 400-hour internship requirement, gaining real-world experience with organizations across the sport industry. The department offered a glimpse into how its students spent their summer months at the 2018 Sport Management Internship Forum held Oct. 1.

Following a keynote address from Communications Dean Rochelle Ford, the event – held in Turner Theatre and Snow Family Grand Atrium – kicked off with a panel discussion featuring six students reflecting on how they secured their positions, what their internship responsibilities were, and how they are attempting to building on their experiences and land post-graduation employment.

Assistant Professor Young Do Kim (left) and Jack Willbye ’19 discuss the student’s poster and summer internship experience in Snow Family Grand Atrium.

​​The panel featured students George Allen (Washington Redskins), Carrigan Bain (Washington Redskins), Taylor Bostick (Elon Athletics), Kevin Cunningham (Octagon), Nialani Robinson (Cincinnati Recreation Commission) and Kyle Sarazin (Boston Bruins).

Nialani Robinson ’19 discusses her summer serving as a national junior tennis and learning program coordinator for the Cincinnati Recreation Commission.

​​With more than 175 students in attendance, the panelists offered individual remarks highlighting their respective summer stops and then they participated in a Q&A session with audience members. Afterward, the event transitioned to a poster session in Snow Atrium, with faculty, students and guests gathering to discuss the projects and assignments the students completed as part of their internships.

“Hosting the Sport Management Internship Forum is a tradition in our department, and it is a time we come together to celebrate our students’ dedication over the summer and the completion of their internship capstone projects,” Associate Professor Cara McFadden said. “I also get excited for our first-year and sophomore students to attend the event to learn more about the wide range of opportunities in the industry.”

To see photos of the internship forum, visit the School of Communications’ Flickr page.