University of Minnesota Athletics
Gopher Summer Interns
7/18/2017 12:00:00 AM | Student-Athlete Development
The University of Minnesota student-athlete development office has four interns working within Gopher Athletics to prepare for the upcoming 2017-18 academic year. Interning in the department is Mariah Hirstein (student at Minnesota Duluth), Maggie Werba (Gopher women's swimming), Mehvish Safdar (Gopher women's tennis) and Jenna Conzemius (Gopher women's track). Learn about what each of them are working on this summer, how it's preparing the student-athlete development office for the year and what they've already learned in just their first month on the job.
Gophersports.com: You're a summer intern within the student-athlete development office. What are you working on this summer?
Maggie Werba: This summer, my official role in the student-athlete development office is a Hope Day intern. Hope Day is an event that Gopher athletics hosts every year with the HopeKids Foundation. Student-athletes engage in various games and activities with the families and kids of children with terminal illnesses. As a Hope Day intern, we are in charge of reaching out to different businesses and organizations to ask for support/help for Hope Day 2017. We will also be in charge of setting up for the big day. Besides being a point person for Hope Day, however, I am also involved in a few side projects within student-athlete development. I am developing an internship handbook to create a more concrete internship program within the office, and am also working on a Beyond U Playbook with David Plummer to help student-athletes with the transition to life after sports.
Jenna Conzemius: I am currently working on a professional development program for women here are the University. The program is W.I.L.L., which is an acronym for Women Invested in Leadership and Learning. It already existed, but after this summer we have completely revamped and expanded it to become something so much more. I have taken on a role as an organizer and an ambassador for student athletes and our sponsors at Schwan Food Company.
Mehvish Safdar: I am one of the designated HopeDay interns this summer under the student-athlete development office. My internship includes preparing for the annual HopeDay event and making sure everything runs smoothly the day of. Preparation for the event includes brainstorming ideas for stations and activities, contacting providers and taking care of any logistical issues in aims to organize a successful and enjoyable event. Duties on the day of the actual event involve setting up/cleaning up, providing assistance to all HopeDay participants, and any other tasks deemed necessary for managing the event. Although my main targeted focus is on HopeDay, the internship also involves helping out with other projects being run by the student-athlete development office.
Mariah Hirstein: This summer I am working on coordinating Pro Day. Pro Day is the job and internship fair for all student-athletes at the University of Minnesota. My day-to-day responsibilities revolve on speaking with recruiters from different organizations around the Twin Cities and figuring out what job opportunities they have. I also work on organizing and ordering all the materials that go into the job fair; folders, credentials, alumni ribbons, the special gift that is given to all the students, etc. Along with my Pro Day specific responsibilities, I also work to assist the rest of the student- athlete development office with any extra work they may have.
GS: What's something you've learned from working in the student-athlete development office that you didn't know before working there?
Maggie Werba: I've learned that you should have a plan for everything, and be okay with nothing going according to plan. We are working on numerous events months in advance and, trying to plan who will be where at what time. However, come the day of the event, we need to be okay if an organization has complications. We need to be creative enough to adapt an activity if something breaks. This concept even applies in the day to day logistics because you need to take challenges in stride and help people that you didn't originally have in your schedule.
Jenna Conzemius: So far this summer I have learned the importance of collaboration, organization and persistence. I have learned many skills in interviewing, social media presence and a bit more into the background and behind the scenes of what goes on in gopher athletics.
Mehvish Safdar: I have learned that the student-athlete development office has a very large networking field. It not only networks with other departments on the University grounds, but also organizations throughout the Twin Cities. In order for the student-athlete development office to conduct their projects and work towards their mission of promoting student-athlete success, they are consistently in contact and maintaining partnerships with people and companies that serve value to the student-athlete experience. My internship has allowed me to be a part of some of these meetings and networking events, giving me a taste of what the student-athlete development office does on a larger scale.
Mariah Hirstein: Before working in the student-athlete development office, I was completely unaware of all the time that went into the on-campus events. I never realized how much effort that staff put in to make sure that these events went off without any complications. Now, I far more appreciative of all of the events that are coordinated and the people behind making them happen.
GS: What's been the best part of your experience so far?
Maggie Werba: Though it sounds simple, the best part of my experience as an intern in student-athlete development is every day, sitting in the office planning and talking with the other interns and with (Director of Career Services and Relations) Anissa Lightner. Anissa cares, and that compassion radiates from her on a daily basis. It is extremely encouraging and enlightening to be in such a positive, supportive environment every day.
Jenna Conzemius: The best part of my experience so far has been the people I have had the privilege of working with. My fellow interns Mehvish, Mariah, Maggie, Sydney (Fabian) and David (Plummer) make coming in something I look forward to and make simple tasks into entertaining adventures. I also cannot emphasize enough the life skills and wisdom Anissa has bestowed upon me in the short past six weeks. Seeing the inner workings of the different Gopher athletic facilities definitely has its perks as well.
Mehvish Safdar: The best part of my experience to date has been the array of settings and people I have had the opportunity to encounter. Under the great mentorship I have been led by, my internship has permitted me to be a part of business meetings, educational seminars, fundraising events, and a multitude of in-office and out-of-office experiences. This array of involvement has triggered my curiosity and awareness in various domains and also allowed me to make connections and learn from people that come from a broad range of fields.
Mariah Hirstein: The best part of my internship so far is the large amount of people I have been able to meet. Through walking around Bierman Field Athletic Building, Mariucci Arena, TCF Bank, the Alumni Center and working several golf tournaments, I have been able to meet and network with so many people.
GS: How can this experience help you in the future?
Maggie Werba: This experience is helping my future in so many ways. I am learning more and more how to adapt to when things don't go as planned. This experience is helping my future because it is garnering my desire to help other people. It is also giving me the tools to do so-letting me send important emails, setting up an internship program, and connecting with different organizations. Lastly, this internship is teaching me about the importance of personal connections. Not a day goes by that someone doesn't stop in to say hello to Anissa, and that just shows the impact she has had on so many people. It would be amazing to be able to positively influence the lives of others as Anissa does, and this internship sets me up on this path. I have already met so many new faces, from previous student-athletes to directors in Gopher athletics, and have been able to learn their stories, ask questions about their path, and get to know who they are as people. These connections already have and will continue to help me feel supported and encouraged on my future endeavors.
Jenna Conzemius: This experience I feel will give me a leg up and an advantage in the workforce. I feel that some of the people and points of contact I have made will be ones that I hope to stay in contact and work with in the future. I will take the things I have learned into my future endeavours and will always remember the life lessons and memories I have made down in the dungeon...or I mean windowless office of 151 Bierman Field Athletic building.
Mehvish Safdar: This internship has allowed me to cultivate and sharpen several skills that I am confident will help me in future endeavors. Due to the rigid objectives and timeline we are on for preparing the HopeDay event, I have further developed organizational and efficiency skills. In addition, although I have attended the HopeDay event for three years now, I now have a greater awareness of all the "behind the scenes" work that goes into managing an event and the importance of paying attention to detail. Alongside the structural and organizational component that is emphasized, there is also a creative outlet drawn by brainstorming ideas to change/alter the event to make it more engaging and entertaining. Lastly, I have enhanced my communication skills from contacting providers/faculty via emails or phone calls to engaging in friendly conversation with the various new people I have met. Overall, this internship has given me more confidence in social and business settings.
Mariah Hirstein: Working in the student-athlete development office will greatly help me succeed in the work force later in life. I have learned so many valuable life lessons in my short time with the department. Also, being able to connect with so many different people around the University campus has also helped me become more comfortable and confident with myself.
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