Internship Leads To Early Graduation
One student who used her internship to move forward in her career path is Bri Funte, Class of 2014. After completing a summer media internship at the Buena Vista Raceway in Alta, she participated in the Vikings internship program in the fall of 2012.
One student who used her internship to move forward in her career path is Bri Funte, Class of 2014. After completing a summer media internship at the Buena Vista Raceway in Alta, she participated in the Vikings internship program in the fall of 2012. “When I was working in the press box for the Minnesota Vikings, I was able to meet a variety of different people. For the entire season I looked forward to the final game of the season, against the Green Bay Packers, my favorite team in the NFL,” said Bri. “Leading up to then, I researched some PR individuals with the Packers, and on that exciting Sunday, I introduced myself to Jason Wahlers, director of public relations for the Green Bay Packers.”
That introduction allowed Bri to stay in contact with the Packers organization, and during the summer of 2013, she was offered a six-week position as a training camp intern in Green Bay. The job included gathering articles for coaches before each day’s practice and heading-up media check-ins, plus communicating with local and national media about attending practices, press conferences, and interviews with players and coaches.
“As a media student, I realized that I understood the lives of the reporters. I knew what they needed and expected from us for their stories, which made it easier for me to communicate with them. On the other hand, this internship also helped me realize that sports reporting isn’t something I want to pursue,” said Bri. “Because I was able to work closely with my superiors, I learned a lot about prepping coaches and players for interviews and public appearances. It was great insight about anticipation and thinking strategically for the image of the company.”
“It was intense. Throughout the entire internship I worked long hours, but didn’t mind one second of it. I was having so much fun that the early mornings didn’t bother me,” said Bri.
Bri adds, “I loved every minute of my internship with the Green Bay Packers. I couldn’t have achieved this internship without my media and communication professors who helped advise me along the way. They were so proud of me and nearly as excited as I was when I told them the news.”
Next for Bri was an operations internship with the Omaha Lancers hockey team. “This was such a great experience to learn about all of the aspects of a sports team. I helped organize intermission and timeout activities. It also helped introduce me to event planning, which was an aspect that I liked and would love to continue in the future.”
While trying to find an internship for her upcoming January Interim, Bri was offered a full-time, season-long internship in public relations with the Iowa Barnstormers in Des Moines that would start in January 2014. Since she was still a student, Bri would need to graduate early to participate in the six month internship.
“I never wanted to graduate early – until this internship came around. Sarah Quick, the PR director in Green Bay, had advised me that I needed a season-long internship with a team to really get enough experience for the industry, and this was my chance,” said Bri. “They do not have anyone working PR right now because they are a very small office, but they will need someone for those responsibilities in the near future. My supervisors have mentioned that if I perform to expectations, I may be considered for a full-time position.”
Bri credits her internships with helping her determine if the sports industry was a good fit for her and what type of career she would want in the industry. “These experiences confirm the areas that I like and also remind me of the skills that I need to work on. I cannot imagine beginning my career without these experiences,” said Bri.
She found her internships to be important in determining what she needs from her future career. “The sportsindustry is so demanding and stressful. There are always deadlines and long hours. I’ve learned so much about myself throughout these experiences and have realized that this is exactly what I need. If I don’t pursue a career which challenges me, I get bored. Part of finding a career is finding out about yourself and discovering your needs. I definitely want to end up with an organization which instills faith in each employee. It’s not only about finding an organization which needs you, but also an organization which fulfills your own needs.”
BVU and Bri’s professors were a critical key in helping her find and take this path. “I would have never sought after such intern positions without BVU and my professors. My courses gave me the skills necessary to work in public relations, but I wouldn’t have pushed myself toward five internship positions without the support of my professors. Jamii Claiborne (Class of 1996), Jerry Johnson (Class of 1985), and Dr. Beth Lamoureux (Class of 1983) all played huge roles in my college career and influenced me to set my goals high. It was always a dream to work in the NFL, but I never thought it would actually happen until BVU!”