BEVERLY, Mass. - College is a time for transitions and transformations. Going from freshman to senior year, students learn and grow as they prepare to enter life post-graduation. At Endicott, those transitions also come in the form of multiple internships. For Ryan Small '17, the internships he completed introduced him to the world of Sports Information in collegiate athletics.
While at Endicott, Small began working as a student assistant in the Sports Information department where he learned what it takes to become a Sports Information Director. He completed various jobs from writing student-athlete bios and labeling photos, to learning how to accurately keep and track statistics for various sport, and also operate live stats at games.
The internship program at Endicott also allowed Small to continue growing in the field of Sports Info, sports information for short, as he worked in the Athletic Communication offices at both Harvard University and Tufts University. While at Harvard in the winter of 2016, he updated bios and learned how to update record books in Adobe InDesign. His internship at Tufts also enabled him to continue to expand his knowledge of stat keeping and begin to write game recaps for various sports.
Overall, Small, who graduated from Endicott with a Bachelor of Science degree in Sport Management and a minor in Business Administration, says that "having three internships throughout four years [at Endicott] really accelerated my advancement into the job market after graduation" and he would recommend Endicott to those students looking to get a leg up in the job market while still in college.
Small says that his experiences at Endicott and at Tufts, which included him serving as the official scorer in the 2016 Elite Eight NCAA Men's Soccer Tournament and the second round of the NCAA Men's Lacrosse Tournament, helped him find his love for the field of Sports Information.
Another big transition for Small came after graduating from Endicott as he accepted a position as an Athletic Communications Graduate Assistant at Millersville University. Small has been the contact for tennis, golf, swimming, and many other teams and has also been in charge of ensuring all game broadcasts run smoothly throughout the year. In addition to his athletic communications duties, he also is in the process of getting his Master of Education in Sports Management.
Small's advice for incoming Endicott students is to "find a place of work on campus where you will enjoy yourself and can find your true self. My time at Endicott made me understand who I am and I was able to graduate as a positive, outgoing and hardworking adult. Endicott truly transforms you into a successful individual."
Shawn Medeiros, Endicott's Sports Information Director, also elaborated on Small's development over his four years at Endicott.
"Small is a perfect example of how our internship model is intended to work at Endicott," said Medeiros. "Throughout his four years in our office, Small developed many skills both personally and professionally which he later utilized in his internships with Harvard and Tufts. All of these experiences, coupled together, certainly made it an easy transition for Small to further his education and extend his career path at Millersville University as their graduate assistant for athletic communications. I'm proud to see Small's hard work pay off and know that because of his overall experiences at Endicott, Harvard, Tufts, and Millersville that he will have a meaningful career in Sports Information/Athletic Communications."
THE ENDICOTT INTERNSHIP MODEL
Endicott College is a pioneer in requiring comprehensive internship experiences in every program of study for undergraduate students. A philosophy of "learning by doing" permeates the college curriculum in which students are encouraged to integrate theory and practice in all of their studies.
Through their experiences in internships students will be prepared to:
- Apply, integrate, and evaluate knowledge within a particular academic discipline
- Develop competencies for careers and community service
- Explore career options and gain field experience
- Foster personal growth through increased self-confidence, interpersonal skills, an understanding of self and others, and a heightened awareness of ethical standards
- Improve the ability to learn in a self-directed manner
"The Endicott internship model allows students to have multiple opportunities throughout their college experience to discover their passions, bolster career confidence, and develop a marketable skill set while creating a professional network that will serve them well after graduation," said Endicott's Dean of the Internship and Career Center Eric Hall. "Endicott students leave with the career-readiness competencies and passion needed to excel in today's workforce."
For the latest on Endicott Athletics, follow the Gulls on social media on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
(Photo Credit - Millersville University Athletics)