This summer, more than 60 Rice Sport Management students interned or worked around the country in the sports industry. Students' roles spanned every nook and cranny of the industry, from operations and administration to analytics, partnerships, media, and guest experiences. Nearly half of the students worked for professional, collegiate, or amateur sports teams or organizations, including the Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Reds, Los Angeles Dodgers, and MLB.com. The other half of students learned about the inner infrastructure of the sports industry through agencies, marketing firms, apparel companies, and more.
Twelve students worked closely with the FIFA World Cup in Houston, in roles with broadcasting, media operations, event operations, sponsorships, human rights, and logistics.
Internships and work experience are a critical component of a Rice Sport Management education. They give students hands-on opportunities to "try on" different career paths and areas of the industry to get a better sense of their paths after graduation. Plus, the networking and real-world experiences give students a valuable edge over the competition when they look for full-time jobs.
Meet some of the interns, and see the full list on the internship webpage.
Jacob Lozano Bolanos '28
Sponsorships/Partnerships Intern
FIFA World Cup '26 Houston Host Committee
Jacob supported the Commercial Partnerships team through sponsorship research, partnership strategy, and fan activation events.
"Working in soccer is my dream, and having the opportunity to work at the world's greatest sporting event opened many doors and offered experiences that most other organizations cannot."
Charlie Bridgewater '26
Operations Coordinator
FIFA World Cup '26 Houston Host Committee
Charlie helped plan and execute operations for one of the world’s largest sporting events, including the FIFA Fan Festival and other key event sites. He was recognized with the Houston Heart of the Cup Award, presented to Host Committee team members who consistently went above and beyond throughout Houston’s FIFA World Cup journey.
"Career-wise, this internship helped confirm that I want to work in sports operations, event management, or venue management. Being involved with the World Cup has given me hands-on experience and helped me build confidence working in a professional sports environment."
Henry Daly '27
Account Specialist
Hyperice, Inc.
Henry helped develop new business with golf and country clubs across multiple markets.
"My biggest takeaway was learning the importance of persistence and continually adapting my approach. I learned not to be afraid to reach out or follow up, consistency and strong relationship building are key to creating new opportunities."
Sofija Jiotis '28
IMS College Program, Guest Experiences Dept.
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Sofija supported event operations and guest services at one of the world’s most iconic racing venues.
"As a longtime IndyCar fan, one of the highlights of my internship was experiencing the Indianapolis 500 from behind the scenes. Seeing the planning and teamwork required to operate the world's largest single-day sporting event was both eye-opening and incredibly rewarding."
Avery Karacz '29
Game-Day Operations Intern
Round Rock Express
Avery helped bring game days and special events at Dell Diamond to life, from preparing the ballpark and supporting sponsor activations to working promotional nights and even Texas Volts games.
"A highlight of this internship was working the Round Rock Donuts' Express game. It was a fun and busy night, with players wearing donut-themed jerseys, a jersey giveaway, and real Round Rock Donuts parachuted from the roof during the game."
Aly Khanmohamed '27
Operations Manager
Los Angeles Media Fund Sports Agency (LAMF Sports)
Aly supported player management, pre-draft workouts, and NBA Draft preparation while traveling to the NBA Combine and Draft.
"My favorite part of the internship was traveling to new York for the NBA Draft and celebrating as our client, Allen Graces, was selected 19th overall by the Toronto Raptors. Sharing that moment with Allen and the entire LAMF team after months of hard work was an unforgettable experience."
Stacy Lujan '27
Event Operations Coordinator Intern
FIFA World Cup '26 Houston Host Committee
Stacy helped oversee VIP hospitality operations at the FIFA Fan Festival while ensuring an exceptional experience for more than 550,000 guests. She was also recognized with the Houston Heart of the Cup Award, presented to Host Committee team members who consistently went above and beyond throughout Houston’s FIFA World Cup journey.
"The highlight of my experience was the opportunity to work alongside such an amazing leadership team for the festival. Seeing everything come together each day, from ensuring everything was prepared behind the scenes to welcoming guests and providing a memorable experience, was extremely rewarding."
Anwesha Parida '27
Sports Science Intern
Exos Plano, Andrews Institute
Anwesha worked with athlete assessments, performance data analysis, and exercise programming and coaching, including analyzing NFL offseason athlete data to seeing how sports science directly informs training.
"The highlight of my internship was having access not only to elite equipment, but also to elite thinkers. Profiling athletes and using that data to help customize their training in real time brought concepts I had learned in the classroom to life in a completely new way."
Kai Peiris '26
Partnerships Coordinator/Specialist
Echelon
Kai worked across partnership activation and premium hospitality at major live sporting events, including leading on-site execution for an AFC Bournemouth × Team USA watch party in Las Vegas and supporting NRG Energy’s FIFA World Cup activation. And this experience has an exciting next chapter! This fall, Kai will join TKO as an Entertainment Coordinator on the Global Partnerships team, working across UFC and WWE in Las Vegas while completing his senior year at Rice.
"The highlight of my summer was traveling to Las Vegas for the AFC Bournemouth x Team USA activation. Leading a Premier League hospitality event gave me a firsthand look at how a premium sports experience came together from the group up—especially in a city where I hoped to build my career."
Valentine Ponce '28
Brand Leadership Intern
Professional Sports Partners
Valentine supported the Brand Leadership team through sponsor activation research, partnership planning, event ideation, and client-facing projects.
"One of my favorite parts of my internship was being part of the PSP community. On the first Friday of every month, the team gathers for breakfast at the office, and everyone shares shoutouts for team members who did a great job. We also talk about how the team has been aligned with PSP's core values. I really enjoyed seeing that culture of appreciation and support because it made the office feel welcoming and showed me how important team culture is in a workplace."
Cielo Reyes Reyes '26
Human Rights and Legacy Intern
FIFA World Cup '26 Houston Host Committee
Cielo helped create a welcoming, inclusive, and accessible experience for fans during one of the world’s largest sporting events.
"My favorite part of this internship was seeing people from all over the world come together through a shared passion for this beautiful game. The energy, excitement, and sense of community that soccer creates is truly inspiring."
Matthew Solomon '27
Training Camp Marketing Intern
Baltimore Ravens
Matthew supported marketing initiatives, fan engagement, and event operations throughout NFL Training Camp, getting a firsthand look at what it takes to bring large-scale NFL events to life.
"A highlight of my internship was working the Ravens' public practice at SECU Stadium, where nearly 20,000 fans attended. I assisted with stadium entry, fan zone activations, player autograph sessions, and event breakdown."
Cole Verdirame '28
Summer Football Intern
THE·TEAM (formerly Wasserman)
Working for a major global sports, music, and entertainment agency, Cole learned each and every step of the process of connecting athletes to deals. He secured sponsorship opportunities, such as a meal partnership for a youth football camp, researched potential NIL and endorsement partners, and created recruiting reports for high school athletes to evaluate college football programs.
"I've learned that agencies care so much about the professional and personal lives of their clients, and how it takes multiple people working together to give the best experience possible to a client."
Reggie Zhu ‘27
Golf Operations and Player Development Intern
Altus Performance Florida,
Reggie supported academy operations, player development, and business development, including creating drills for competitive junior golfers and working with innovative training technology like the Wellputt putting platform.
"My biggest takeaway was learning that there was no one-size-fits-all approach to working with players. Every athlete learned differently, and effective coaching required adapting my communication and instruction to each player's individual learning style."
Molly (Mohr) Bruni '15 is a proud Rice Sport Management alumna and freelance editor and writer. Find her at mollybruni.com.