Morgan Culler (pictured in the center), has become the first
student to complete a credited internship with the university’s Department of Athletics thanks to a new program collaborative effort led by SBI Dean Shawnta Friday-Stroud and Sports Information Director Vaughn Wilson.
“When you look at the goal of our internship program, it is
to provide our students with real world work experience. Many of our students have an interest in the
business side of athletics, so it’s one of those things where we began
wondering what took this so long to come to fruition. Clearly the time was right. The people were right and the students were ready. We were able to put it in place because of
the knowledge Mr. Wilson had of our program and what would be expected of a
position tailored for one of our students,” Friday-Stroud said.
Culler, a student enrolled in both the FAMU School of
Journalism and Graphic Communication (SJGC) and the School of Business and
Industry (SBI), was originally unaware that she was the first to hold what is
becoming a sought-after internship opportunity.
“At first I had no knowledge that I was the first person in this certified SBI internship with athletics. As a former athlete, it makes you still feel a part of sports and you’re doing what you love. I learned a lot because it is not a theory position, it is an applied position. We didn’t spend much time on theory, we worked and got it done, and I’m extremely proud of some of the pieces we put together this school year,” Culler said.
“At first I had no knowledge that I was the first person in this certified SBI internship with athletics. As a former athlete, it makes you still feel a part of sports and you’re doing what you love. I learned a lot because it is not a theory position, it is an applied position. We didn’t spend much time on theory, we worked and got it done, and I’m extremely proud of some of the pieces we put together this school year,” Culler said.
New FAMU Athletic Director Kellen Winslow, Sr., has
challenged all within the Department of Athletics to be efficient in all
matters. Planning has been underway to
integrate the work of the internships with the flow of the multimedia from the
department. This past season, all
Webcasts of Rattler and Lady Rattler basketball and volleyball were done by
interns. In addition, athletics
accomplished two firsts. The annual FAMU
Relays and one baseball game were broadcasted on Rattler Vision; the first time
either had been broadcasted in house.
The partnership has been the very definition of win-win.
Culler offered the fact that her internship changed her
perspective of athletics.
“I think the partnership between SBI and athletics is a
necessary one. A lot of people in SBI
are saying that athletics needs to ‘pick it up,’ and things of that nature, but
they don’t realize what it entails until you’re there. I think with the students now being able to
have an internship, they are able to understand all the work that goes behind
it and that’s what’s important,” Culler concluded.