Disclaimer: In between our meetings and the internship, there are other requirements. I did not dive into every requirement or aspect, because I am not sure how much is intended to be shared before getting accepted.
Some Background
I am a Communication student. I try to do all things social media, journalism, and marketing. I would say I’m in love with those things. This is what I am good at! So, when I came across an email titled “Cotton Bowl / NCAA FCS Experience” forwarded to all COMM majors, I almost immediately trashed it.
I thought, well it isn’t really my kind of thing!
I remember screenshotting the email and sending it to my boyfriend (a very knowledgeable college football fan), and typed, should I apply? He always says yes.
I was worried that I was not a big enough sports fan to apply for this sort of internship. I remember not wanting to tell anyone that I was going to apply, in fear that they’d quiz me on football or question my abilities. I remember explaining to my boyfriend that I am not the right person for the job, because I’m only good at making things look pretty. I don’t think I’m qualified.
He typed: Nah you gotta just act like you are. Fake it. Till you get the job.
I typed: I’m scared LOL :(
Him: Don’t be scared. Gotta at least try.
And so I did.
The Application Process
I created a folder in my Google Drive titled “Cotton Bowl” and created a document for each item I needed. It consisted of a title page, a cover letter, a resume, a professional reference sheet, two 500-word essays, a 250-word essay, and a short media campaign pitch.
I was determined to put my best foot forward in applying for this internship. I had never applied to something with so many requirements before, and I spent a lot of time looking things up like: How to format a cover letter? It was silly, but a learning experience for me. I didn’t want my lack of knowledge/experience to keep me from a great opportunity.
After you apply, you may get selected to be interviewed by Dr.Hudson. I scheduled a time and date for our interview and showed up in business professional attire that I felt comfortable in. I felt it important to still feel like myself instead of looking “perfect”.
The interview went well, and I did my best to be relaxed and personable. I called my boyfriend as soon as I changed and blabbed about it for an hour.
Two weeks later, I got an email from Dr.Hudson congratulating me on earning my spot on the team. I was elated.
Our 5 Meetings
Before the trip to Dallas, we had about 5 classroom meetings with the entire team to gather important documents, read the syllabus, and prepare us for the internship. We learned a lot about professionalism, class, and hospitality. These values were instilled in us in preparation for The Cotton Bowl Classic. These values are the foundation of their team, and to assist them we first needed to understand them.
I also picked up on some important habits to learn. I remember walking in a minute before the first meeting began, and Dr.Hudson made a reassuring comment that I didn’t miss anything. But, he followed it up by informing the room that we must always be early for everything. I was never on time again. I smile at this memory because moments like these encouraged me to be the best version of myself. I wanted to do great, not good.
What I loved about these meetings was all the little glimpses of everyone’s personalities. I tried to be a friendly face and also observant of my peers. I watched what made everyone laugh, who looked nervous, who was extroverted, who was introverted, and everything in between. It took me a while to realize (through the minimal interactions we had with each other), that we were all doing our best to perform at a high level. We all had completely different backgrounds and attributes but all felt the same excitement for our work. I loved it!
Opportunities
We got to work on a lot of components. To quote the application, “team hospital visits, marketing and promotions, social media management, event/game day management, and assisting the media relations staff.” I was eager to do every single thing!
Team hospital visits: For both teams, we visited children’s hospitals! Our team had to quickly organize merchandise to be presentable and exciting for the children and parents.
Additionally, I got to interact with many players bonding with young kids (I also applied to be on the Cotton Bowl’s social media team, so I did get to wander around a bit) and even interview them. It was wonderful to see players just having fun and bonding with everyone.
Marketing and Promotions: Our main goal of the trip is to complete grassroots marketing in the DFW area and raise awareness for the Cotton Bowl Classic. We were assigned partners and materials to use for the marketing. We spent many hours walking around the city creating friendships, bonds, and memories with strangers. I admittedly found this difficult, because I am used to online marketing. But, I did not find it difficult to connect with others, so I found joy in it.
Social Media Management: I applied to be on the social media team alongside one of my classmates, so I got additional chances to create same-day content. I got photos and videos of promotional content, fan fests, players interacting with fans, and the Taco Bell Live Mas student section. My partner and I got to spend time with fans by making TikToks about them – and they loved it!
Event/Gameday Management: The entire team got to help set up events, help out with stadium operations, and with the media team I got to experience assisting and speaking to fans! Because of this, I got to meet plenty of experienced people who were in my spot at once. I could tell it was insightful to everyone (we all were working on our LinkedIn pages).
My Takeaway
I found a deep love for what people in sports do. It was so beautiful to see a team that is putting on such a large event be able to be so personable and relaxed. Everyone was very qualified and also confident in their abilities. I often think about Michael Konradi’s (Chief Marketing Officer) comment at the end of our internship:
“If you are ever working for a company that does not care about you, then leave.”
And he meant it. It showed in everything that they were passionate about. I want to end up somewhere where my company is as passionate about what they do compared to the Cotton Bowl. I loved working for a team that was truly like no other.
I advise anyone passionate about marketing, communication, sports management, and event planning to apply for this come next Fall. If you’re willing to work hard, you belong on the team.