IU Student-Athletes Excel in Summer Internship Program, Bridging Sports and Career Development
9/20/2024 1:30:00 PM | Football, Softball, Women's Rowing, Women's Soccer, Student-Athlete Services, Track and Field
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Balancing academics and athletics is no easy task, but this summer, Indiana University student-athletes went beyond the field and classroom, diving into professional development through an internship opportunity that broadened their horizons.
Indiana University Athletics offers a summer internship program through the Excellence Academy described as "the most innovative and comprehensive personal development program in all of intercollegiate athletics." Its goal is to shape student-athletes into well-rounded individuals, and a key aspect of that is career development.
This internship program is designed to offer student-athletes the chance to complete a full-time internship with flexible scheduling, while being paid. This year, 10 student-athletes participated across various departments: Aden Cannon (football) in Leadership & Life Skills, Bella Haggerty (women's soccer) in the Excellence Academy, Brody Foley (football) in Compliance, Catherine Graham (rowing) and Donaven McCulley (football) in Nutrition, Kai Snell (track and field) in the Varsity Club, Kinsey Mitchell (softball) in Leadership & Life Skills, Marisa Grzesiak (women's soccer) in Leadership & Life Skills/Academics, Nolan Satterfield (track and field/cross country) in Leadership & Life Skills, and Tyler Reyna (track and field) in Strength and Conditioning.
Throughout the summer, each intern took on various tasks aligned with their personal and professional goals, gaining hands-on experience in their fields of interest while developing critical skills for their future careers.
"It truly is an internship built for student-athletes," Satterfield said. "You gain valuable experience while sharpening your skills, and the schedule is perfectly tailored for student-athletes. The lessons and tools provided were more beneficial than I could have imagined."
Grzesiak's internship involved leading New Student-Athlete Orientation panels, planning Welcome Week events and assisting the academics team with data analysis.
"This experience helped shape my career goals," Grzesiak said. "It showed me how much can be done to support student-athletes, and I know I want to be part of that in the future."
A new addition to this year's program was a networking day trip to Indianapolis. On June 17, the Indianapolis Indians hosted the interns for a behind-the-scenes tour and Q&A with staff. For lunch, the interns connected with professionals from the NCAA and Indiana University Indianapolis, followed by a tour and panel discussion at Pacers Sports & Entertainment. By the end of the day, the interns had networked with 15 sports industry professionals.
The Excellence Academy Internship Program is designed to equip student-athletes with the skills and connections they'll need for life after college.
"This internship prepared me to thrive in high-energy environments," Reyna said. "The relationships I built with fellow interns, coaches, and athletes will be invaluable in my future career."
With the academic year underway, these student-athletes are back in action, ready for another competitive season, armed with the professional skills and connections that will serve them well in whatever path they choose.
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