INTERNSHIP INSIGHT: Wightman Finds His Way At UNLV

BEVERLY, Mass. – Endicott College is a pioneer in requiring comprehensive internship experiences in every program of study for undergraduate students. Brian Wightman (Las Vegas, Nev.), who is a Sport Management major as well as a member of the men's volleyball program, recently completed an internship at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Here's a look into his internship experience.

1) Why UNLV? 

I chose UNLV due to its proximity to my home. Additionally, growing up UNLV was the only opportunity for sporting events in the valley before the Las Vegas Golden Knights and Raiders. 

2) What was the process like to obtain your internship?

The process was a fairly simple one for me. My freshman year I conducted a remote internship with the athletic department by cold calling them and asking if they needed any extra help during the summer. Rolling through COVID, I helped with many projects for their athletic teams and they offered me to work in person this summer with their event operations department. 

3) Describe your overall internship experience.

Overall, my internship experience went great. The people I worked with made this experience the best. The people were very kind and open to teaching me. From the setup to the planning process I learned so much this summer. Our specific department was fairly young so relating to them was very easy, as well the outside organizations we worked with were very accommodating and had great communication skills. There were many tough days from lining fields and setting up in the 100-degree heat to ordering equipment and working the NBA Summer League. However, the experiences I had this summer I would not trade for anything. 

4) What have you learned from your internship?

I have learned the planning process of athletic events from every level from youth to college to professional (NBA) and International Sports (Gold Cup). This goes from physically lining fields/cleaning courts, to the preparation needed for these events in terms of seating and equipment all the way to now following COVID guidelines for athletic events placed by the states and cities themselves. This internship was interesting because no one day was the same. We always learned how to do something new every day. One thing I learned is the amount of planning and scheduling needed for all these events in terms of space, equipment, and individual accommodations. 

5) How will this internship help you in your career moving forward?

This internship has made me realize all of the work needed to be done for an event to be run smoothly. While I don't see myself staying in game operations anymore, the base knowledge I learned about this process makes me grateful for all that is done to run a game. During this internship, I got a glimpse into the legality of sporting events more specifically during COVID guidelines that I found very interesting. I hope to use this interest and the connections I have made in this internship to transition and learn more about sport sponsorships and the legality of events in my future.

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(Photo Credit - David Le '10)