Insights from our inaugural student intern in sports communication

December 11, 2023

At the start of the fall 2023 semester, the Robert H. Brooks Sports Science Institute launched an internship program for Clemson students with an interest in sports communication. Kayla FitzWilliam, a senior marketing and management double-major from St. Louis, MO, developed and published content for the institute’s social media pages and Sports Insights blog over the course of the semester, among other projects. FitzWilliam shares more about her accomplishments this semester and advice to future students. 

Describe one project from this semester that was most memorable to you.

One of my most memorable projects this semester was getting to interview Bianca Henline, who is a student doing research in the Clemson Headgear Impact Performance (CHIP) lab. This was my first solo project and I loved getting to craft a story, starting from the interview, and turning that into a final blog piece. I had the opportunity to tour the CHIP lab where she works and talk with Bianca about her story and motivation to work in the sports science field. I left feeling inspired and was amazed at all the work students and faculty at Clemson are doing to improve research initiatives in the sports science field.

Did you learn any new skills this semester?

During this internship, I gained valuable skills in interviewing and copywriting. I had conducted a few informal interviews before this semester, but I really improved my interviewing skills throughout these past few months. Writing blog posts was also something new to me but I became more confident in my voice the more I wrote. I had a lot of freedom in how and where I wanted to take each piece and I enjoyed getting to try different styles with each article. The interview and writing processes really allowed me to hone in on my written and verbal communication skills.

How do you feel this experience has helped prepare you for a career in sports marketing?

One way this internship has helped prepare me for a career in sports is through networking. The Robert H. Brooks Sports Science Institute has a hand in all the sports-related research and events on campus and I had the opportunity to connect with many other sports-minded students and faculty at Clemson. Seeing the work that Clemson is producing in the sports world has shown me just how connected sports is to so many different aspects of our world. Having a more holistic understanding of sports is something I believe will help me standout as I prepare for a career in sports marketing.

After getting the chance to meet new people and learn about their research and activities at Clemson, what is your take on Clemson University’s position in the sports sciences field?

This role has definitely opened up my eyes to how much Clemson does in the sports science field. Being a marketing and management major in the College of Business, I didn’t have much exposure to what other colleges were doing, especially related to sports. I have gotten to see how virtually every department at Clemson has someone doing research related to sports, whether that be testing sports equipment or looking at the relationship between social trends and sports. I would say Clemson is in a very good position in the sports sciences field and I hope they continue to provide students with opportunities to get involved in the sports field. 

What advice do you have for future students wanting to participate in this internship?

My advice is to really try to expose yourself to things outside of your field of study. Clemson offers so many opportunities for students and if you make the effort to put yourself out there, you will gain so many skills and experiences that you might not have gotten the chance to experience otherwise. One of my favorite parts of this internship was learning about and getting to highlight the amazing things students and faculty are doing, both inside and outside of the classroom. For anyone that is interested in this internship, have a good sense of the work, related to sports, that people at Clemson are doing. One of the most important jobs of this internship is finding people and stories that you can shine a light on. 

Where are you headed in 2024 with classes, your career, etc. and what do you hope for the future?

I will be finishing up my final semester in the spring before I graduate in May, 2024. I am sad but also excited to get to enjoy one last semester at Clemson. Following graduation, I am planning on either going to graduate school to get my MBA or getting a job for a year or two before going back to get my MBA. While my exact plans post-grad are still up in the air, I know that I want to eventually do marketing or advertising for a company in their sports division.

Do you have any final remarks?

I know everyone says this when they graduate, but time really does fly by. My biggest piece of advice is to get involved in as many different things as you can. If there’s one thing that I learned through this internship, it’s that Clemson has so many different things to get involved in. If you have a passion about something, pursue it! If Clemson doesn’t have something that can help you pursue that, start it yourself. All the clubs on campus were started by somebody so don’t be afraid to pursue your interests. Clemson is the perfect place to try new things and explore your interests.

Two students were recently selected to intern with the Robert H. Brooks Sports Science Institute in marketing and events for the Spring 2024 semester. Stay tuned to learn more. Visit Clemson.edu/Brooks-Sports.