When Andres Jones, C’24, a double major in business and sport management, learned about a Washington Commanders internship from a professor, he, along with more than 1,000 prospective applicants from multiple universities, joined a Zoom meeting in which a team representative explained the application process.
Jones, a native of Hyattsville, Maryland, applied for the position as well as dozens of other internships, hoping that he would hear back from at least a few. He was thrilled when he was scheduled for an initial interview with his now-boss, and even more excited when that led to a couple more rounds of interviews and then the good news that he had been chosen for the position.
Now one month into his yearlong internship with the Washington Commanders, Jones has already broadened his horizons through his experiential learning experience. “It’s been amazing. I’m not just doing busy work or getting everyone’s coffee. I wasn’t sure what to expect—there are long hours, it’s hard work—but it has completely exceeded my expectations,” shared Jones. His position is in the guest experiences department, and he’s been able to sit in on meetings and offer insight on projects across various departments.
Thus far, the bulk of his work has been helping with preseason events coordination and training camp. Jones has interacted some with the team and even attended a security meeting involving Baltimore police, legal teams, and members of the FBI, among others.
“My manager truly values everyone’s input, and she’ll ask us what we think about things all the time. I’m trying to take in as much knowledge as I can from everyone here,” exclaimed Jones. “Getting to be a part of such a hands-on team and experience a variety of work has already helped me realize I want to be a business leader in the sports world one day, and I’m getting to make those connections and have those experiences now.”
In last year’s NFL football season, Jones served as a guest service representative intern with the Baltimore Ravens, and he also previously worked as an athletics operations assistant for the Mount.
About 75 percent of Mount students participate in internships before graduation, and they’re considered an invaluable addition to academics. Jones’s story highlights the insight experiential learning provides to students as they find their unique path to a life of significance.