Benilde-St. Margaret’s EPIC (Explore, Partner, Inspire, Create) Marketing and Communications interns took a field trip to the Timberwolves and Lynx Careers on Sports Day in April. The day featured a variety of experiences, including a panel discussion with team executives, a tour of the Target Center, and speed networking with professionals in different parts of the organization.
Marketing & Communications Specialist, Ife Adebola, oversees the marketing interns and enjoyed supervising the students at Target Center. “They offered a ton of great advice, encouraging students to build a strong foundation of practical skills and foster strong connections within their network. These are principles that BSM consistently instills in its students through experiences like this, preparing them for success beyond the classroom,” Adebola said.
Adebola believes that the experience will help students past their high school career. “This experience can significantly benefit students by providing valuable insights into the sports industry and understanding what can set them apart from 1,000 other qualified applicants in the future,” Adebola said.
Isabella Yacoub, a junior on the internship team, enjoyed hearing the professionals’ personal stories, experiencing their passion for their job, and learning about a field she might be interested in exploring further. “One thing they emphasized was getting started with internships. And having 15 seconds to make a good first impression… be yourself, do interviews, talk to people, and start networking and making connections… take whatever opportunity you get,” Yacoub said.
Adebola explained that Steve Pohlen, Director of Curriculum & Learning, coordinated the field trip in order to give students more real-world experiences. “Some valuable skills and takeaways students may have learned include the importance of networking, active listening, and the impact of first impressions. These are essential skills not only in the sports industry, but in any professional setting,” Adebola said.
Yacoub enjoyed being educated on the differences in the fields of marketing. “For [the] marketing [internship] here, I feel like we mostly just focus on Instagram and stuff like that, but [at the field trip, they] talked about how… they use marketing to make fans want to come and enjoy it more, even if the team loses,” Yacoub said.