Enrique Walsh ’17, an Economics, Sport Management, and Managerial Studies triple major has spent this semester studying abroad in London, interning for Crawley Towne FC, and spent a week in Istanbul.
“My favorite part of the semester was our spring break trip to Istanbul,” Walsh said. “It was truly a unique and once in a lifetime experience.”
Walsh traveled to Istanbul as part of the School of Social Science’s GATEWAY program. During the week, the group of students visited with executives from Fenerbahce, the local soccer club.
“Fenerbahce is the biggest team in Istanbul, and one of the largest in Europe,” Walsh said. “Visiting and talking with the men behind multi-million dollar decisions was both nerve wracking and exciting.”
For the rest of the semester, Walsh has been in London where he is taking classes and interning with Crawley Towne FC. London was his ideal location to study abroad because of the ease in knowing the native language. An El Salvador native and huge football fan, Walsh also wanted to return to a country where football is important.
“Ever since I moved to Rice, I really missed living in a football-centric country,” Walsh said. “England offered me to reconnect with my passion for football.”
Not only was he able to reconnect with his passion for football by attending matches frequently; he obtained an internship with one of the local team, Crawley Towne FC. Walsh enjoys the atmosphere of the club and the other employees and over this semester he received more responsibilities.
“At first I started working with the equipment guys,” Walsh said. “Afterwards, I was tasked to help run the youth academies by keeping track of payments and digitalizing their records.”
Walsh has truly enjoyed his semester abroad, and looks forward to bringing his new skills back to Rice.
“I think I will come back to Rice as a more mature and experienced student,” Walsh said. “I have nailed public transportation, and having visited other countries has made me appreciate where I come from and the respect the cultures of others.”
Jeremy Reiskind ’17, from Saint Petersburg, Florida, is majoring in Sport Management and History.