The following was written by Heidi Stalkfleet, who is on the UGA Swimming and Diving team. She is studying Psychology through the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences and had the opportunity to participate in the inaugural Inside Georgia Micro-Internship through the University of Georgia Athletic Association.
This month I had opportunity to learn the ins and outs of a large, successful, and complex athletic department like the University of Georgia. This experience was incredibly informative, and it allowed me to shadow and spend a day-in-the-life of the people that dedicate their lives to making my experience as a student-athlete possible.
As someone still searching for the right career path to pursue, this micro-internship was the perfect way to explore many different professions. I was able to learn what I want in a future career, what I don’t want in a future career, and the type of environment I hope to spend my days in – a driven, focused, and fun workplace. During the internship, I shadowed the different departments, asked a lot of questions, and occasionally did some hands-on work.
Additionally, the time commitment each day was very feasible with my summer training schedule, which allowed me to continue practicing as normal. I would definitely recommend this opportunity to other student-athletes that are interested in working in athletics, or even those that just need to discover what their passion will be after sport is over.
