Interning at the UAF Athletics Department

Charlie Hill graduated May 2013 with a bachelor of business administration with a concentration in management and organizations and a minor in accounting. He currently works as the Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance for the UAF Athletics Department.

Choosing a Business Administration degree
When I decided to pursue a Business Administration degree during my freshman year, I did so with the ultimate goal of being employed in an operations department in the National Basketball Association (NBA). After performing research, I realized that goal was unrealistic, so I changed my goal to work in an intercollegiate athletics department.



Choosing to intern for the UAF Athletics Department
My internship in UAF Athletics was in the Compliance Office. I wanted to intern for UAF Athletics because it was the only internship opportunity in Fairbanks where I could earn experience in my desired career field. Intercollegiate athletics positions are very competitive, so I needed to do everything I could during college to increase my chances of obtaining a full-time position in my desired field after graduation.

First-hand learning
My internship consisted of me learning how to be a compliance officer. I learned how to effectively communicate to coaches, department heads, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) office, booster clubs, and many other individuals or offices. My internship was the foundation to the start of my career as a compliance officer at an NCAA institution.

Advice for students
I would advise all students to pursue internship opportunities. Internships not only provide bullet points for the resume, but also provide the necessary experience and knowledge to succeed after college. Organizations want to see that you have the experience and skills to perform the job coming out of college, and an internship provides those things. There is really no excuse for someone to say there aren’t any internships available, because Wendy Tisland, faculty advisory for the internship program, will do everything she can to help find you those opportunities.

Best thing about interning at the UAF Athletics Department
The best thing about my internship was the experience and knowledge I gained. I learned how to effectively communicate to various audiences about rules that concern athletics. I learned a lot about the expectations and the day-to-day environment of a compliance officer. I am extremely thankful for my internship because without it, I may not be in the position that I am in today as Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance at UAF Athletics.