With most of America on lockdown and traditional sports canceled by COVID-19, you've probably forgotten that the spring internship season started this January and summer internship dates typically start in June.
For one Hampton University student, her summer internships during the past two years were the most unforgettable moments of her career so far.
Recently, Ka'ena Farmer shared her experience interning at the Super Bowl and NFL Scouting with Hampton University.
As a rising senior, Ka'ena "Sissy" Farmer, spent her summer as an intern for the National Football League (NFL). She is also the only female athlete (Track and Field) in the five-year MBA program.
Farmer was a Football Operations intern and worked in the player engagement and business strategy units within the department. She also worked on various projects from conducting an outing for the department to helping create the legends program manual, a program where former players work at the league office.
Farmer first discovered the internship opportunity at the 2018 NFL forum in Atlanta where she had the chance to meet different NFL executives. While in Atlanta, she was part of the first-ever Career Forum Case Study Championship Team where she had the task of marketing and promoting for a team.
This included game day, tailgating, international fans, and team sales. In order to gain the internship, Farmer had to be picked for an interview, go through various interview rounds and meet with more NFL executives.
Farmer, a five-year M.B.A. student, stayed in New York City for a total of 10 weeks.
During her internship at the Super Bowl, Farmer was part of the Football Operations team, specifically for the youth football department.
“It was a great experience. I was able to help put on different camps for kids. Since girls flag football is a sport in Florida, Nike gave them uniforms and we were able to help organize that. There was also a production that I helped with because this is the 100th year of football,” Farmer said. “During my internship, I got to work with Jerry Rice, Emmitt Smith, Marcus Allen, and Ray Lewis. It was amazing being able to work with the legends.”
Farmer also got the chance to attend the 3rd annual Women’s Careers in Football Forum prior to the 2019 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis.
Forty female participants currently working in college football connected with executives and industry experts representing the NFL, NCAA, Canadian Football League, and Women’s Leaders in College Sports.
Farmer was the only historically black college and university (HBCU) student in attendance.
“This experience was really exciting. I got to meet team owners, head coaches and hear from amazing women in sports like Callie Brownson, the first full-time female coach and now Chief of Staff for the Cleveland Browns; Salli Clavelle, the first woman to coach in the Super Bowl with the San Francisco 49ers; and Jennifer King, the first African American female coach in the NFL,” Farmer said.
“The forum allowed us to be part of the combine experience, where we got to meet coaches and general managers. It gives women a foot in the door because if there are teams looking to integrate women on their staff, the forum is a great place to look.”
Farmer will graduate in 2020 with her bachelor’s degree and then with her master’s degree in 2021. She has two goals for her future career.
“I’d like to work at a league office in Football Operations for the NFL and work on initiatives like HBCUs and social justice initiatives. Secondly, I’d like to work on the club side of things and work with the salary cap and eventually become a general manager,” Farmer said.
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