MSJ Senior Ricky Feller describes his co-op experiences with several athletic opportunities.
What is your year and major?
I am currently a senior studying Sport Management, and I’m also staying an extra year to get my Master of Business Administration.
What career/intern opportunities have you been involved in during your time at the Mount?
I took my first internship working the Western and Southern Open Tennis Tournament in the summer of my freshman year. I worked as a court attendant, where I sat court side on practice courts and match courts and made sure the players and umpires had everything they needed. After this, I got a job with the Cincinnati Reds working in their security department. Last February, I was also lucky enough to accept an internship with a sport business company called Living Sport, where I got to work at Super Bowl LV in Tampa Florida. I started working for the Cincinnati Bengals Pro Shop last August, right when the season started. Lastly, I am working with the Cincinnati Cyclones as a Corporate and Ticket Sales intern.
What is the process like for searching for these positions (networking, Career Center, other.)
I found most of my internships through Teamwork Online, which is a sport job data base that sport management students should utilize. While I found most of my internships on Teamwork Online, my professors and career advisors helped me to. I wouldn’t have known what Teamwork Online was if it wasn’t for my career advisor. It’s very important to network with your professors, advisors, and people you meet during your internships, because they might be the key to your dream job.
Please describe your most meaningful internship/co-op experience so far.
My most meaningful internship was working at the Super Bowl with Living Sport. First off, I never expected that I’d ever have a chance to work the Super Bowl, so I was amazed when I got selected. I was coming off a very rough patch in my life, and I was still struggling before I started the internship. When I got accepted, I was very nervous as I was 1 of 40 interns that would be working the event. However, forming and building relationships with these other interns ultimately transformed me from a depressed state, to being truly excited about the people and opportunities I had in my life. Though COVID was still going strong, I was able to connect with people from all around the US and this what I needed to change my outlook on life and what was going on at that time. I can truly say I left Tampa a stronger and more confident person than I was before this opportunity.
What are some valuable skills you have learned during these opportunities?
I’ve taken a few valuable skills away from working various internships. The first and very important skill to learn when working in the sport industry is being able to work in a fast-paced environment. Sometimes there were multiple things going on at once, and multiple deadlines to adhere to, especially with the Western and Southern Open. It felt like controlled chaos sometimes, but that’s what I loved about the sport industry. The second skill I picked up was the ability to communicate professionally/networking. Networking is so important in any career field, but it’s especially important to have some connections when looking for a job in the sport industry. I’ve also been able to gain great sales experience through my work with the Cyclones. Lastly, I have gained a lot of customer service experience which is important when speaking to people.
What advice or recommendations would you give to students who are balancing working two jobs while attending the Mount full-time?
My main piece of advice for students is to take a chance on yourself and always bet on yourself. If there is an internship or anything you want to do, I say take it. Don’t let the fact that you’re a college student get in the way of other things that you want to do. When I accepted the internship with Living Sport working the Super Bowl, I knew I was going to miss eleven days of school. I didn’t know if I should take the internship, but I decided to take a chance, and it was the best decision I have ever made. Take a chance on yourself and it might be the best decision for you too.
To learn more about co-op and internships opportunities, visit the Co-op and Experiential Education Center page to turn your classroom experience into a real-world experience.