While Sports Tourism was an area I wasn’t familiar with, I was extremely eager to get in the office and get going. So many times when we think of Indiana and sports, we just think of Indianapolis and we don’t think about all of the 92 counties that make up Indiana. While some of the smaller communities don’t have the venues or assets to host large events such as a Final Four or the Division I Men’s Swimming and Diving Championships, they can host other events. What we focus on in Sports Tourism is bringing sporting events to these communities whether it be a wrestling tournament or a figure skating competition.

Several of our Indiana communities have their own sports commission or CVB such as The Evansville Regional Sports Commission or Visit Fort Wayne. A group of these organizations then come together to create Team Indiana, which is a private, not-for-profit organization comprised of allied sports and tourism representatives throughout the state of Indiana. For this group, we then have grant money that we award to events across the state. Part of my responsibilities thus far has included reviewing grant applications, tracking the grant status in a program called “Asana”, and helping write award letters to those organizations receiving grant money.

This internship experience has allowed me to learn so much about myself as a person. Diving into an area of sports that I wasn’t familiar with has allowed me to learn more about the endless opportunities there are in this industry. For example, people tend to ignore sporting events in the smaller cities, or people don’t realize that it’s someone’s job to bid on sporting events such as The Final Four or other NCAA Championships.

More specifically, one of the areas I’ve felt the most growth has been my confidence. As a senior in college, it can be an intimidating thought to think about life after graduation and working full-time. However, this internship experience and being in the office all day every day has given me a glimpse into what the real world will look like and now I know that I’m ready for the next step and a full-time job. Another area I’ve seen growth is my willingness to be curious. In the past, I’ve been one to try to figure things out on my own if I’m confused or when I’m a part of a conversation I don’t know much about, I would sit quietly and accept things as they were. However, I’ve found myself asking countless questions and not being afraid to ask for help or clarification throughout this internship. While there is a time and space to struggle and work through things and figure it out myself, it’s also okay to ask questions too.

There have been several skills that have been important for this internship but the top few have included being independent, being a hard worker, and being organized. What’s surprised me is how many meetings I’ve been a part of both in the office and off-site. However, I always have projects to work on so being organized and using my time wisely when I’m not in meetings or at events has been extremely important. Additionally, my boss has several meetings and events, and while I go to most of them with her, there are times I’m by myself in the office. Being aware of those times and thinking ahead to make sure I have something to work on while Rachel’s away has been key.

I’m fortunate to be able to stay on with ISC through the end of August, but so far this internship has not only just met my expectations but exceeded them. I’ve been able to learn and grow in so many different areas while gaining the experience and confidence I need to be able to be successful in the sports industry. As I described earlier, I feel like I’ve been an actual part of the ISC team and have been able to contribute instead of just being labeled as an “intern”. The number of times our staff has shouted out the interns in emails, meetings, etc. has made us feel like we’re making a difference.

Truthfully, there isn’t anything I would change about this internship. I felt like I’ve stayed busy, been given, and trusted with plenty of projects, and gotten a lot of experience. While it would be nice to be getting paid a little more than we are, other benefits make it worth it.

For students who are looking into this internship down the road, I would tell them that while it’s going to be exhausting and a lot of long hours, they’re going to learn so much and gain invaluable experience. You must be ready to jump in and help out wherever it’s needed and be willing to do a few things that make you uncomfortable because that’s how you’re going to learn. I’ve loved my internship at Indiana Sports Corp so there’s no doubt I would recommend this experience to future students!