During the Spring 2017 semester, I had the privilege of completing my Capstone with the Boston Celtics as their community engagement intern. Aside from their success on the basketball court, the Celtics are active in the community and I was lucky to be a part of their work.
My responsibilities revolved around community programs, donations and fundraising for the Boston Celtics Shamrock Foundation. The lifeblood of the department was community programming, which benefitted several causes, including veterans, health and wellness, youth, and education. Working with 10 to 15 different programs, we ran more than 50 community events in my four months with the organization. I was fortunate to work alongside Celtics’ players Isaiah Thomas, Avery Bradley, and Marcus Smart.
The biggest takeaway from working at these events is the impact it had on the underprivileged and disadvantaged groups. Working closely with the programs gave me a sense of purpose as I knew my work provided tremendous value to the community.
My experience with the Boston Celtics changed my whole perspective on the sports industry. It showed me that community work is my true passion. As I step into the real world, I hope to use sports as a platform to help others and make a difference in the community.