Student internship is a slam dunk
KALAMAZOO, Mich.—From Grand Rapids, Michigan, Morgan Robertson is taking big shots at Western Michigan University. The senior marketing and sport management student has taken her skills from the classroom to the court, as she interned with the Detroit Pistons this past summer.
With a love of basketball and a goal to work for an NBA team, Robertson was excited to take on her role as corporate partnerships intern.
“I knew a little bit about partnerships and how this area relates to marketing through my experience working with the WMU athletics marketing team, but I never knew all that went into it, especially at the professional level. I was drawn to this internship because I wanted to learn about the NBA and its league-wide rules, as well as gain experience reading contracts and learning about negotiation before beginning my own journey into law school. I hoped to network with executives to learn from them and form genuine connections.”
In her position, Robertson was responsible for tracking any gaps in the Pistons’ asset overviews, assisting in completing season recaps, working with the sales team to learn about their outreach approaches to attract potential partners, helping craft partnership proposals, and planning partnership events.
“This internship allowed me to get firsthand experience in working in the NBA. I got to see what the culture is like for at least one team, in addition to the dynamics of the front office. With an interest in the legal side of sports, I was able to network with professionals, players and individuals who attended law school, which really solidified my love for the field.”
Robertson’s experience with the Detroit Pistons helped to foster her sense of community, both in and out of the office. “I was able to spend a lot of time with other interns and professionals throughout the organization by scheduling coffee chats,” she says. “The other interns and I worked on a project together to help the Pistons better engage with women and girls within the community. We also got to volunteer with the Pistons at a voter’s registration block party.”
WMU Haworth supported Robertson throughout her entire internship process, helping her to be her best professional self.
“WMU Haworth’s amazing Zhang Career Center is extremely dedicated to business students. They’ve helped critique my resume and cover letter and assisted with interview practice. The career center also puts on a variety of career fairs, giving students an opportunity to network with employers.”
For Robertson, she’s on a fast break toward her future with the foundation to her sports management career based on her passion for the profession.
“Opportunities always exist in the ever-evolving field of sports. The number of women, even Black women, in the field is increasing—we are getting more of an opportunity to work on the staff of professional sports teams in operations, executive and representative roles. I plan to work at a sports and entertainment firm while gaining my credentials to become an NBA agent, and eventually, I would love to open my own sports and entertainment firm.”
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