Whitecaps Intern
Megan
Experience Information
Employer: West Michigan Whitecaps
Job Title: Reading Club Intern
Major: Sport Management
Received Credit: Yes
Paid: Yes
Abroad: No
Description of the Organization
Our Mission: The Whitecaps are in the FUN business and our mission is to provide affordable family entertainment that strengthens the West Michigan COMMUNITY. We create memorable EXPERIENCES by offering a fun, friendly and inclusive environment. We welcome you as a guest and hope you return as a fan! Fun! Community! Experiences! The Whitecaps front office staff is comprised of about 40-50 people, from the CEO, President, and GM all the way to Interns like myself, and everything in between. They are a close-knit staff who love Minor League Baseball and love their jobs. The managers and directors are welcoming, flexible, empathetic, and caring.
Description of the Tasks/Projects Completed
As Reading Club Intern, it was my job to plan this season's Reading Club program. My main task was connecting with local schools to enroll them in our Reading Club program, where students who read a certain amount of time in the month of March are eligible to receive two free Whitecaps tickets. I handle individual Reading Club ticket redemption, and I also work with many schools to organize large group outings for schools who wished to use their Reading Club tickets in this manner. As this position falls into the Ticket Sales department, I am also involved in advance individual and group ticket sales, as well as working in the box office on game days to facilitate walk-up ticket sales.
Skills/Knowledge Gained Through The Experience
This role required me to improve my communication and organization skills. I have had to stay extremely organized while coordinating 200+ group outings, and I have had to stay in constant contact with the group organizers to answer questions and ensure that they had all the materials and resources to make for a successful group outing.
Favorite Part of the Experience
I have greatly enjoyed getting my first glimpse at what it is like to work in minor league sports. Everyone I work with loves their job, and it shows in the work that we do.
How the Experience Influenced Future Career Goals
Coming into this position, it was my goal to someday work for a major league professional sports team. This experience has opened my mind to how great minor league sports jobs can be. I certainly won't discredit semi-professional teams in my future job search.
Internship Format
In Person