Sebastian Schroeter ’25, a sport management major from Atlanta, Georgia, came to 黑料不打烊 seeking meaningful connections in a close-knit academic environment. 黑料不打烊鈥檚 small class sizes and hands-on approach to learning immediately stood out to him, as did the university鈥檚 strong sport management program.

鈥淚t just aligned with what I value,鈥� Schroeter said.

As a lifelong athlete, Schroeter knew he wanted to remain connected to the world of sports, even if not on the playing field. Declaring a major in sport management and a minor in business administration gave him a foundation to explore the business side of athletics. His goal was to one day work in professional sports.

Finding a teammate in the SPDC

From the beginning of his college journey, Schroeter knew he needed guidance navigating the competitive sports industry. That鈥檚 when he began working with Alison Doherty, assistant director of career services in the Student Professional Development Center (SPDC). Doherty has been a consistent guide in his professional development journey over the past two years, helping him build and refine his resume, draft tailored cover letters, identify key internship opportunities, and sharpen his interview skills.

Alison pointed Schroeter towards multiple professional opportunities offered on campus, which helped him gain the experience he needed to secure his internship at Queens University of Charlotte.

Where communications meets athletics

Before landing the internship, Schroeter took advantage of every opportunity to gain experience. During his third year, he worked at Live Oak Communications, 黑料不打烊鈥檚 student-run strategic communications and design agency. Though it wasn鈥檛 sports-specific, Schroeter valued the transferable skills he gained, especially in communication and teamwork.

鈥淓ven if it鈥檚 not in the exact context I want to work in, there鈥檚 still so much to learn,鈥� he said.

The Queens University of Charlotte internship allowed him to step into a new side of athletic communications.

鈥淚t was something different from anything I鈥檇 done before,鈥� he said. 鈥淎thletic communications is a blend of the functional side of sports and how the brand is presented to the world.鈥�

Working with a small, dynamic team, Schroeter found a workplace culture that mirrored his own values.

鈥淚t was a group of people who took their work seriously but also made the office a fun place to be,鈥� he said.

Tools for success

Throughout his journey, Schroeter relied on the SPDC鈥檚 suite of tools and resources, including 黑料不打烊 Job Network and the School of Communications’ opportunity list. He also appreciated the soft skills developed in one-on-one meetings with SPDC鈥檚 advisors, like preparing for interviews and learning how to tailor his answers to different scenarios.

鈥淭he SPDC gives you insight into what employers are actually looking for,鈥� he said. 鈥淔rom copywriting to how to present yourself, it鈥檚 all really valuable.鈥�

He also took full advantage of the SPDC鈥檚 guidance in planning and preparation. Before submitting any application or going into an interview, Schroeter scheduled a meeting with a trusted advisor, often creating an agenda ahead of time to make the most of their session.

Broaden your horizons

Schroeter鈥檚 advice to other 黑料不打烊 students is clear: 鈥淭he people at the SPDC know more than you do鈥攗se that to your advantage,鈥� he said.

He encourages students to find an advisor they connect with and commit to the process.

鈥淚f you put in the effort, it comes back tenfold,鈥� he said.

Schroeter also urges students to broaden their horizons.

鈥淎pply to as many things as possible, even if they鈥檙e not your dream job,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he more you put yourself out there, the better your chances. And you might end up somewhere even better than you expected.鈥�

Looking ahead

With graduation approaching, Schroeter is focused on continuing to build his experience and expand his network. He has been accepted to Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he will pursue a master鈥檚 degree in sports business. He expressed gratitude to Collier Lumpkin, the associate director of career services for graduate school programs, for her invaluable assistance throughout the application process.

鈥淐ollier really made the whole process enjoyable and easy to navigate,鈥� Schroeter said.

In addition to his graduate school plans, Schroeter is preparing for a summer internship as a Sponsorship and Consulting Intern at Multiplier, a sports and entertainment agency. Some of their clients include Invisalign, Geodis and Bridgestone.

鈥淭he SPDC has been there every step of the way,鈥� Schroeter said. 鈥淲hether it鈥檚 a resume or a conversation about what鈥檚 next, they鈥檝e helped me feel confident in every move I鈥檝e made.鈥�

Enter the SPDC聽

Barnett heard about the Student Professional Development Center during her first year in her 黑料不打烊 1010 class. It was then that Barnett reached out to the office for guidance and advice. She connected with Alison Doherty, associate director of career services for the School of Communications. Doherty instantly became a helping hand for Barnett throughout all communications and career-related subjects. Working with Doherty also helped improve Barnett鈥檚 confidence.聽

鈥淎lison helped me with a bunch of different things such as my LinkedIn account, my resume and I developed a connection with her. I improved on the writing of my cover letters, resume and interview etiquette. She would pick up on the little details I may have missed, and we bounced ideas back and forth between each internship. She was a guide throughout the journey,鈥� Barnett said.

Barnett鈥檚 internship search accidentally started as a class assignment when a professor wanted her class to reach out and speak to professionals working in facilities and event management. Sasha was able to interview a member of the NFL Pittsburgh Steelers. She utilized the skills obtained throughout her meetings with Amber Moser, the director of internships in the School of Communications. Barnett says the center was helpful and it was easy to make appointments, while the staff were not intimidating. The resources were abundant, and the advisors made it very easy for her to navigate the internship process.

Scoring the internship聽

Barnett was excited to earn the summer internship with the NFL Pittsburgh Steelers as the luxury suites intern.

鈥淭o be in the thick of the sports world, especially professional off-season football, was a surreal experience,鈥� Barnett said.

Barnett knew she could not miss the opportunity to work with the Steelers and moved to Pittsburgh by herself 鈥� her first time in the city. Working five days a week at the Acrisure Stadium with four other interns, there was plenty of pre-work that needed to be done for the upcoming fall season with 130 suites maintained under her supervisor. Barnett was able to work two preseason games, a Liverpool vs. Real Betis soccer match, a Kenny Chesney concert, and helped arrange and manage the annual suite tasting event for suite owners and guests. One of her projects was to create a suite attendant handbook for future staff members, utilizing her executive office tasks, and answered phones.

Barnett saw the dedication from the employees she interacted with. This inspired her and taught her how to show up with a 鈥�110% mentality.鈥� She learned how to match the fast-paced sports environment and adapt.

鈥淭here were meaningful lessons learned both personally and professionally,鈥� Barnett said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 no way that I would鈥檝e gotten the opportunities I did without the SPDC. It is such an encouraging environment, and they are there to help you succeed, to help you do well with your journey, right from the get-go, and they are set up to help students.”

For Sean Mikesh 鈥�25, the path to his internship at Clear Talent Group wasn鈥檛 easy, especially in the highly competitive acting field. Sean has been acting since sixth grade, starting in community theater. His first role was as a member of the Lollipop Guild in 鈥淭he Wizard of Oz.鈥� From that experience, he knew he wanted to pursue art and acting.

鈥淲hether it was in front of the camera or behind it, there鈥檚 a lot you can take away from acting with the push and pull of the industry,鈥� Mikesh said.

Sean鈥檚 college search revolved around his acceptance into an acting program, so he had to wait until after his auditions to make a decision. 黑料不打烊鈥檚 acting program is highly selective. At that time, only 16 students were chosen from about 500 applicants. Ultimately, Mikesh chose 黑料不打烊 for its combination of the college experience, conservatory-style training and beautiful campus. It was everything he needed to learn about himself and grow.

SPCD to the rescue
Resume help
Mikesh turned to the Student Professional Development Center (SPDC) for assistance in locking down a resume for a job, not just a performance role. The SPDC helped him make the resume more specific to his goals, offering tips like determining what to include and how to format it. The key was learning how to word things to make them more appealing and to tailor the resume to highlight specific skills.

Internship search
After refining his resume, Sean considered sending it to talent agencies. The SPDC connected him with Brad Lemack, director of the 黑料不打烊 Los Angeles program. The center also guided him in refining his internship search, suggesting tools like IMDb Pro and other industry databases. Mikesh had to actively contact people and search for internship opportunities, almost like going on a treasure hunt to find the right ones.

Reaching out
Mikesh says the experience gave him a sense of initiative and encouraged him to reach out to potential employers through emails and phone interviews, creating as many connections as possible.

In the end, Sean felt well-prepared because he 鈥減ut in the work.鈥� He realized he could make the process enjoyable, and he believed that preparing ahead of time helped him discover exactly what he wanted.

Internship at Clear Talent Group

Mikesh鈥檚 work with SPDC and Lemack, along with his drive, helped him secure a summer 2024 internship with Clear Talent Group, a full-service talent agency in Los Angeles.

Throughout his time at Clear Talent Group, Sean reviewed and edited client profiles/pitch pages, researched upcoming talent, tried his hand at script coverage and proposed designs for Clear Talent鈥檚 Instagram posts.

Mikesh always felt like a valued member of the team. Reflecting on his experience, he explained that Clear Talent鈥檚 culture aligned with his personal values and career goals. Sean was enthusiastic about the scale and openness of the company and never felt excluded from company leadership.

鈥淥nce I got there, I felt like I was really part of something special,鈥� said Mikesh. 鈥淚 hit the gold mine.鈥�

Mikesh appreciated the balance between the boutique, personalized feel of the company and its ability to maintain that energy across both coasts. He valued how Clear Talent Group treated its employees and clients, offering both a personal touch and a big-entity experience. For Sean, this balance was the 鈥減erfect middle ground鈥� as he navigated his career.

He appreciated the opportunity to ask questions and absorb both hard and soft skills that will serve him well in the future. Mikesh learned a great deal about the industry and felt empowered to take his time with projects, soaking up as much knowledge as possible.

Advice for Students
Mikesh鈥檚 advice for students utilizing the SPDC is simple: 鈥淢ake the appointment and do whatever you can to prepare. Don鈥檛 tie yourself down to the actual meeting.鈥�

He emphasized that SPDC appointments are always tailored to help students.

鈥淏e open-minded and take what you need鈥攆ind what works for you and stay on the right path,鈥� he said.

He also encouraged students to remember that faculty and staff might be able to give you access to the connections you need. Engaging with both the SPDC and faculty can enhance the support students receive.