If you’ve been keeping up with women’s college basketball, Sienna Betts is a name you’re about to start getting used to seeing a lot of. The 19-year-old freshman just made her collegiate debut as a UCLA forward on Dec. 16, playing alongside her sister, senior Lauren Betts, in a blowaway game that had fans raving about both Betts powerhouses. But athletic prowess is just part of the younger Betts’s freshman year experience; off the court, she’s finding her rhythm while balancing everything that comes with being a student-athlete in the NIL era.
In case you’re not well versed in the business side of college sports, name, image, and likeness — also known as NIL — is a newer development in college sports that went into effect in July 2021, allowing student-athletes to earn money through brand partnerships and other opportunities while they’re still in school. For a freshman like Betts, that means learning how to manage income and make financial decisions at the same time she’s adjusting to college life and playing Division I basketball. It’s a reality that didn’t exist for athletes just a few years ago, and one she’s navigating in real time.
If you’re not a college athlete, all the talk about NILs might feel a little unfamiliar. But this time of year, Betts is also focused on something *very* relatable to most college students: holiday shopping! To promote her latest partnership with Venmo and Venmo Stash — the new rewards program allowing users to earn up to 5% cash back at major retailers, rideshares, and restaurants when paying with your Venmo debit card — Betts chatted with Her Campus about how she’s approaching holiday shopping while in college, because — student-athlete or not — this time of year can be a lot!
This interview has been edited for clarity and length.
How did this partnership with Venmo first come about, and what excited you about joining this campaign together in the beginning?
Well, my agents brought it up to me, and I honestly just thought partnering with Venmo was really natural. As a student athlete, I’m constantly doing school, basketball, travel, and everyday life, so having a platform that makes money management pretty simple is really huge, especially with the Venmo debit card. I use Venmo a lot, honestly, with a lot of my teammates. I often split meals with teammates and send money to [my roommates] to buy me groceries a lot. So it’s been really useful for my everyday life here. It just makes things a lot easier.
What has it been like navigating NIL opportunities and earning money as a student-athlete, and what have you learned about managing that responsibility while still being a full-time student?
It’s honestly just really exciting to be a college athlete in this time. I’m grateful because not even 10 years ago, [there weren’t] these kinds of opportunities, to be saying I’m partnering with Venmo. I’m just super grateful to be in college at this point, because a lot of people who [came before us] us didn’t get this, so I’m just appreciative of them. It just makes it all so much more special. I love having the ability to build my brand off and on the court, and watching my teammates and my friends do it as well.
Since it’s the holiday season, what does holiday shopping look like for you? Are you a planner, a last-minute shopper, or somewhere in between?
I’m honestly a last-minute shopper. We get a five-day break before Christmas, and that’s when I probably will do most of my shopping. I’ve just been talking to my teammates [asking], What do you get your parents? and stuff. I feel like this has been the first opportunity I’ve had to buy actual gifts for people that I love. I’ve been able to use some of the Venmo stuff as well for it. [Venmo] Stash — that’s been a big thing for me for buying gifts.
Many college students’ budgets can be tight, especially around the holidays. What tips do you have for students trying to save money but still give meaningful gifts?
I would honestly just say planning. Planning ahead for buying things and budgeting.
When you think about the future beyond this season, what’s something you’re excited to build toward financially?
It’s about building proper habits. There’s a lot of stories of athletes who’ve earned income, and they use it horribly, then they lose a lot of their money. So I think it’s really special to have a connection, like Venmo, to help me manage these kinds of things. Also, the people in my corner, my sister and my family. I have so many people who can help me build proper habits and not make mistakes. I think it’s really important to have those people.
And finally, what’s one holiday purchase you’re planning to make this year?
I don’t want to give away what I’m going to buy other people, but I deserve a gift for myself. I really want a little wallet from my Coach to hold my debit card, so that’ll be my gift to myself.