NCAA leadership development and human resources have announced the 2017-18 NCAA postgraduate internship class. Overall, 31 interns were selected for the 12-month positions at the national office in Indianapolis.
Based in Indianapolis, the NCAA postgraduate internship has exposed participants to the inner workings of college sports and higher education from the national perspective for more than 25 years. It is an experience they might eventually bring to careers as full-time athletics administrators on college campuses or in athletics conference offices.
"The NCAA internship program is one of the most inclusive and progressive learning experiences for postgraduate students in college athletics today," said Bernard Franklin, NCAA executive vice president of education and community engagement. "This internship opportunity gives them a well-rounded view of the projects and issues they may deal with in the world of sports, specifically at the college campus level, and in higher education as a whole. We have hired some of the brightest young men and women from diverse backgrounds and look forward to enhancing their skill set over the course of the year."
NCAA postgraduate interns are paid with full benefits and receive comprehensive training, mentor assignments and networking opportunities throughout the experience. Considered temporary full-time employees, interns have daily projects in which they can work on programs and initiatives that positively impact college athletes, and many have opportunities to interact regularly with university officials. Additionally, postgraduate interns plan and execute their own professional development site visits at conference offices, member campuses and affiliate organizations to further their knowledge of college sports and network with industry leaders.
"At the NCAA national office, I worked for three different departments within the championships and alliances group, including the licensing area, which laid the foundation for my future career opportunities," said Shelly Terry, assistant director of branding and licensing at Oklahoma and a former NCAA postgraduate intern. "And once I finished, I became part of a unique brotherhood and sisterhood. There was not a door fellow alums were not willing to open."
The NCAA offers internships in several departments within the national office: accounting and finance, championships, communications, education and community engagement, executive, governance, inclusion, leadership development and regulatory affairs, which includes academic and membership affairs, the NCAA Eligibility Center and enforcement.
The NCAA postgraduate interns begin work June 12 in Indianapolis. To read bios of the 2017-18 NCAA postgraduate interns, click here (PDF)
2017-18 NCAA postgraduate internship class
Name (NCAA department); undergraduate school
David Adebiyi (academic and membership affairs); Savannah State
Dawon Baker (leadership development); Missouri
Adrian Bell (digital communications); Hampton
Chase Bengel (championships and alliances, men's basketball); North Carolina
Marcus Bishop (Division I governance); Alabama
Stanley Broaden (championships and alliances, operations); Appalachian State
Travis Dunnette (championships and alliances, men's basketball); Miami (Florida)
Brandon Ellis (administrative services); Lafayette
Monika Gruszecki (enforcement); Western Washington
Madison Hahesy (academic and membership affairs); Le Moyne
Saquandra Heath (communications, public and media relations); Syracuse
Jennifer Helssen (Eligibility Center); California
Katie Hill (enforcement); Minnesota
Barrington Huntley (academic and membership affairs); New Mexico State
Alexandra Ingram (inclusion); Tennessee
Jori-Anne Jasper (Division III governance); Hawaii
Leah Jenk (championships and alliances, marketing); Xavier
Travis Johnston (academic and membership affairs); Point Park University
Sam Keenan (Eligibility Center); Duke
Catherine Krawiec (championships and alliances, operations); Fairleigh Dickinson-Florham
Craig Malveaux (inclusion); Loyola University (Louisiana)
Molly Mullins (leadership development); Concordia-St. Paul
Tyler Nehring (administrative services, finance); Winona State
Anita Nham (communications, employee and strategic outreach); Penn State
Gabrielle Nottage (championships and alliances, women's basketball); Denison
Kayla Robles (academic and membership affairs); Valdosta State
Lisa Scott (enforcement); Maryland
Trina Thomas (communications, executive and strategic); Ohio State
Matthew Ward (Division II governance); Valparaiso
Joseph Weber (championships and alliances, operations); Texas-Dallas
Gregory Woods II (championships and alliances, operations); Springfield