Covenant Health Park, the newly developed multi-use stadium in downtown Knoxville, will serve as the home field for the Knoxville Smokies Southern League baseball team and the One Knoxville SC Division III soccer team, while also hosting various events year-round. The stadium is driving local growth, with new housing and businesses emerging around the facility, all actively hiring to staff their operations.
To support these efforts, the Knoxville Knox County Sports Authority (KKSA) launched a dynamic internship program. KKSA’s Internship Program committee, with members from Visit Knoxville, the Knoxville Chamber, the City of Knoxville, Knox Education Foundation and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Haslam College of Business, developed the program, which will include opportunities for Haslam students to gain hands-on experience working with organizations connected to the stadium. Nayasha Farrior, assistant director for academic support and partnerships in Haslam’s Office of Access and Community Connections (OACC) served as Haslam’s and UT’s representative on the committee.
“It is no secret that many students in Haslam are interested in the business side of sports,” Farrior said. “Having this internship program in our own backyard gives them a prime position to pursue this interest. Many of our students advance to the second round of interviews with participating companies and often secure job placements.”
Kim Bumpas, president of Visit Knoxville, described teaming with Haslam as a great way to broaden the internship program’s reach.
“Visit Knoxville is pleased to work with representatives from UT’s Haslam College of Business on the Knoxville Knox County Sports Authority Internship Program,” Bumpas said. “The opportunities through this program could change the career trajectory of the students involved, and we are thrilled to partner with UT to extend our reach to prospective applicants.”
Lauren Longmire, the Knoxville Chamber’s director of regional enhancement, added, “Strong partnerships with community stakeholders in programs like the KKSA Internship Program help promote an inclusive internship ecosystem that encourages talent retention and supports local businesses’ talent pipelines.”
The internship application deadline closed in early February, and applications are being reviewed to select interns for Denark Construction, Knoxville’s Community Development Corporation, KUB, MoxCar Marketing + Communications, One Knoxville SC, Knoxville Smokies and UES, an engineering and consulting firm. These paid internships will span 10 weeks of full-time work, during which students will take on a wide range of roles and responsibilities within these organizations. Farrior says the program benefits go far beyond earning a paycheck: The interns will be performing essential duties that give them vital, real-world business experience.
“Haslam students will gain invaluable leadership, networking and professional development skills working with the organizations that have had a hand in bringing the stadium to downtown Knoxville. The organizations have found our students to be highly qualified. It is a win-win for all involved. ”
Main image: Credit Knoxville Smokies
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Scott McNutt, business writer/publicist, rmcnutt4@utk.edu
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