USF Athletics is looking for driven interns looking to get their start in the sports public relations and communications industry. An internship with us is one of the best ways to learn how to write, create content, and produce communications content for live events and sports in the college athletics industry.
The experience you’ll get from your time with us will set you up to be ahead in any communications courses you may take and more importantly, give you the skills you need to succeed upon graduation.
*Please note due to the ongoing pandemic, in-office hours are limited and in many cases eliminated. When working at events, all interns must be wearing masks and screened prior to entry. Physical distancing will be practiced at every event. Remote work via Teams will be required.
Here’s a brief FAQ on our department!
What is Athletic Communications?
We are the communications team of USF Athletics located in the Lee Roy Selmon Athletic Center. This includes writing press releases, creating social media content, creating statistical documents and historical information to produce the best content and information for media and fans.
What do you do?
· Assist with media relations and communications efforts at live sporting events at venues like Raymond James Stadium, the Yuengling Center, Corbett Stadium, and other USF Athletics Facilities.
· Create social media content such as graphics, posts, photos, stories and more.
· Write press releases including game previews and recaps, announcements, and release other pertinent information for our sporting programs.
· Take and provide statistical information for all sports.
· Provide access to athletic teams for media members to showcase our athletic programs in the media.
· Manage rosters, schedules, player bios, and all other communications efforts for USF Athletics.
· Manage all content on GoUSFBulls.com and all social media channels.
What software do you use to produce media materials?
All of our content is made using the Adobe suite installed on different workstations in our office or student computers. Students will get experience working in Photoshop, InDesign, and Microsoft software.
What do I do on game days?
Media relations! A lot goes into managing a game day, especially at Raymond James Stadium. Student interns will help manage media requests, media access and credentials, press conferences, statistical information, social media opportunities, and more. These duties vary from sport to sport, but communications experience will be gained at every sporting event, and different tasks can be assigned based on skills and experience.
What do I do in the office?
While game days are exciting, there’s a lot of work that can still be done outside of the arenas. This is where we brainstorm, write press releases, create content, manage GoUSFBulls.com, archive stats, research records, create graphics, create game programs, track athlete’s progress towards records or big numbers, and put the pieces together to tell the story of our teams.
I don’t know how to write or design, can I still become an intern?
YES. Learning is what an internship is about, right? We’ll teach you the fundamentals of writing and designing and with enough repetition, you’ll become a veteran.
What would my workload be as an intern?
We require about one game per week and one to three days in the office each week. We work with your class and work schedule to be flexible and ensure you’re not overloaded with events but enough to see you on a regular basis. The most important thing to know is there are plenty of weekend games over the course of a semester, and plenty of office hours where you can learn and improve your skills. Sports is a ton of fun to work but it’s not a 9 to 5 job! While we can be very flexible with scheduling, reliability and dependability are things we really value, so we can plan knowing you’ll be somewhere when scheduled.
Can I do social media for USF Athletics?
We evaluate intern’s aptitude for social media, knowledge of sports and successful social media strategies, trust level and understanding of USF Athletics values, and with supervision, you can assist with social media for sports. With time, you may manage your own sports and accounts.
I love sports stats, is this the right internship for me?
Yes! If you love to track numbers and chase records, you’ll fit right in here.
I hate sports stats, is this the right internship for me?
Yes! There are plenty of facets to this job that don’t include evaluating numbers, such as social media, press releases, hosting media, administrative duties, and more.
Do I need to know about sports?
Ideally yes, but all can be learned if you feel rusty or weak in this area. Reach out for a more specific answer.
Can I do this for credit?
Yes, we accept 1, 2, or 3-credit internships with mandatory hours depending on how many credits you choose. If you’re in the Zimmerman school, speak to Wendy Whitt for more information about the deadline to submit a form for credit. If you’re in another college, talk with your faculty advisor or academic advisor for more information about enrolling in class credit.
We’re happy to provide a professional environment for learning and hands on opportunities to get real experience and work within your class schedule to get the hours you need for class credit.
Darn, I’m reading this after the start of a semester and can’t do it for credit. Am I out of luck?
No! We accept volunteers in a different capacity for semester-long volunteerships, but require that you start in the first few weeks of the semester.
Can I do this for only one semester?
No, we highly encourage you to return semester over semester, either as a volunteer (slightly different experience) or for credit. It helps build a rapport between you and our team, we trust you with our gear, assign you bigger projects and above all, you get much better at the craft. We also hire paid positions in the spring semesters, with opportunities to run your own sporting events, work with your own team and coaches and manage social media accounts. Interning with us is a great way to prepare for that opportunity.
OK, this FAQ was decent but I have some follow up questions. Whom do I contact? Reach out to Lorie Garnett at loriegarnett@usf.edu and she’ll answer as many questions as you have, and get you started to join our team.
I’m interested and want to apply! What are the next steps?
Send an email with your resume in PDF form and a personal statement indicating why you are interested and what sets you apart, to Lorie Garnett and Dan Hamilton. Email addresses are loriegarnett@usf.edu and dhamilton5@usf.edu
