“I really wanted to work for the Chiefs because I have always like them and enjoyed going to their games,” says Chandler Kowalski, a senior in Sport Management. Chandler is interning with the Kansas City Chiefs under the Director of Cheerleaders. She has worked for both the Wichita Thunder and Wichita Force in the past. Chandler's first chance to network with the Chiefs came at the Oklahoma City Thunder Career Fair that Sport Management Student Association (SMSA) attends each year. Chandler was able to meet the Human Resources Coordinator and give her a copy of her resume. She was encouraged to apply for their internships through TeamWork Online. A few months later Chandler was contacted for an interview. Although Chandler had never cheered before, she was seen as a strong candidate for the cheer internship, which she was later hired for. Chandler's duties as an intern include receiving, organizing, and scheduling appearance requests for cheerleaders, as well as dealing with the financials for appearances/events. She also works with youth teams at three YMCA locations by managing all the communication with parents and team members. On game days, she creates the most efficient way for the six Ambassador Cheerleaders to visit all of the VIP suites. Chandler has had the opportunity to attend many exciting events as a Kansas City Chiefs intern. Her favorite experience thus far was a Kickoff Luncheon. “It was a very high profile event that was attended by the whole football team, the coaches, the general manager and the president of the organization. The guests were some of the top CEOs and presidents from our sponsor companies.” Another memorable experience was when President, Mark Donovan spoke at a staff meeting and she was able to see how devoted he was to the organization. Chandler also talks about Leadership Luncheons, which allow the interns to have lunch with a director of a department. Through the luncheons, she was able to meet high-level executives and receive first-hand advice on how to succeed in the industry. Chandler is trying to take in and learn as much as possible during her internship by helping out in many different departments. She notes that working in a professional organization requires dedication and a strong adherence to a strict set of rules and regulations. For students who want to pursue working in a professional sports organization, she suggests getting involved both on campus and in the community. She noted working as game day staff is a great way to “get your foot in the door” and not have too much of a time commitment, similarly to how she worked with the Thunder and Force. At the conclusion of her internship, Chandler is considering either beginning her career in professional sports or pursuing a master's degree. Chandler's ambitious approach has set her up for a great start to wherever she chooses to go next.