Current student, Sophie Sommers, shared the following about being a Summer Intern for the Martha’s Vineyard Sharks …
What did you do as an intern at this organization?
During my time as a Social Media and Marketing Intern I took on a variety of tasks including creating promotional graphics and posting schedule for platforms including Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok; fostering relationships with local island businesses by consistently distributing marketing materials; covering off-field events such as Harborfest, Jaws 50th anniversary events, the 4th of July Parade, and the New England Collegiate Baseball League’s (NECBL) All Star Game! My internship was incredibly hands-on and I was at the field for every home game where I got to help facilitate gameday operations by interacting with fans, organizing between-inning events for kids, posting live game-content and score updates, maintaining clean facilities, and even taking turns playing the beloved mascot “Sharky.” To summarize, it was a summer of collaboration with coaches, managers, players, broadcasters, and analysts to promote and create an affordable, family-friendly, baseball experience in everyone’s favorite summer destination!
How did you find this internship?
I grew up going to Martha’s Vineyard with my family and had been to a few Shark’s games as a kid. I knew I was interested in Sports Marketing so I did some research on internships the organization offered in the past and ended up cold emailing the General Manager and telling him my personal connection to the Island and my love of Baseball!
What did you enjoy most about your internship?
The people and the place. I made amazing connections with industry professionals who took the time to teach me new skills and show me around a field that was brand-new to me. I now know that this is a career I could really see myself pursuing. More specifically, I found a support system of amazing women who showed me the importance of hard-work and self-advocacy when working in a male-dominated field like sports. I would also be remiss to not mention the joy of spending my summer on a beautiful island and seeing the positive impact that my work had on the tight-knit Vineyard community who welcomed me in for the summer. Watching the sunset over our field is a memory that I will always hold close.
What did you find challenging?
The biggest challenge that I faced during my internship was finding a way to balance all aspects of the job without spreading myself too thin. While I loved the ever-changing and hands-on nature of our game days, it also meant that I struggled to find time to make the video content I had scheduled or get the inning score-updates up on-time and accurately. As the season went on, my co-interns and I started to get the hang of delegating these tasks so that one of us wouldn’t have to steal away when dressed as Sharky to get an Instagram post up, for example. When we had particularly busy games, however, I sometimes had to compromise my plans and change my priorities for the night: a skill that is essential but not always easy to master.
What advice would you offer to someone who wants to make the most of an internship like yours?
Take advantage of every opportunity you are given! When your manager asks you to do something you were not expecting take it as an opportunity to learn and maybe it will end up being something that you really love. Complaining only makes the time go by slower anyway so try to find the joy in everything thrown your way—even if that is rolling hotdogs in tinfoil!
