Initiative Connects Student-Athletes With Internships, Professional Development Opportunities

Initiative Connects Student-Athletes With Internships, Professional Development Opportunities

The University of Toledo Student-Athlete Development office has launched a new Student-Athlete Internship Database designed to connect Rocket student-athletes with valuable internship and professional development opportunities throughout the Toledo community and beyond.

The database will provide Toledo student-athletes with a resource to explore career pathways, gain hands-on professional experience and build meaningful connections with employers and professionals in their fields of interest. The new database aligns with a University-wide initiative to require every new undergraduate student to complete an applied learning experience before they graduate as part of the UToledo Advantage.

UToledo is inviting businesses, organizations, employers, alumni, community partners and professional contacts to submit internship opportunities that may be a good fit for Rocket student-athletes. Organizations with established internship programs, as well as those interested in creating internship or job-shadowing opportunities, are encouraged to participate and share the initiative with their professional networks.

"Networking, hands-on experience and leadership opportunities are critical pieces of preparing our student-athletes for life after sport," said Traci Snyder, UToledo's director of student-athlete development. "We recognize that the demands of being a college athlete can make it challenging to work a traditional job or internship during their time at Toledo. This initiative was developed to create more accessible opportunities for our student-athletes to gain real-world experience through internships, job shadowing and meaningful connections with professionals in our community.

"I'm especially grateful for the collaboration of my graduate assistant, Taylor Stacy, who is currently pursuing her M.B.A. and brings her own perspective as a former collegiate athlete to this work. Taylor played an important role in helping bring this vision to life. With the support of Toledo's business and community leaders, we can connect our student-athletes with professionals who can help them build relationships, develop their skills and feel prepared and confident for what comes next beyond their playing careers."

Supporting Prepared and Confident Graduates

Information submitted through the Internship Database will be reviewed by the Student-Athlete Development office and used to help connect student-athletes who are actively seeking internships with organizations that can provide meaningful, hands-on experience in their areas of interest.

The initiative recognizes the unique demands placed on college student-athletes and seeks to provide flexible opportunities that allow them to develop professionally while continuing to pursue their athletic and academic goals.

How to Participate

Employers, organizations and professionals with internship opportunities - or those who know of an organization interested in providing an opportunity - are encouraged to complete The University of Toledo's Internship Opportunities Form.

The form collects information about the organization, internship opportunity, location and other relevant details. The form can also be shared with professional networks, colleagues, businesses and community connections to help Toledo Athletics expand the Internship Database.

Toledo Athletics aims to create more meaningful career connections and provide Rocket student-athletes with additional opportunities to develop the skills, experience and professional relationships that will serve them long after their playing careers conclude.