Internship Chronicles, Chapter 37: Aaron McCoy

One summer day, a Student Prince decided to go on a little adventure. “It won’t be long before I have a career,” the Prince said, “so I’d better start preparing now.” So with some ’Berg education under their hat, and some connections in their back pocket, the Student Prince began forging their way through an internship.

We continue our web series, Internship Chronicles.

Chapter 37: Covering America's Pastime - A Summer at the National Baseball Hall of Fame

Aaron McCoy is a double-major in communication and integrated media from Cincinnati, Ohio. Aaron wants to pursue a career in communication, digital media and marketing. He wants to use his skills of journalism and content creation in the sports and entertainment industries. This summer, he took further steps toward this goal by interning with the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York.

How did you find your internship, or how did the internship find you?

I found this internship through an email from the Heidelberg Honors Program.

What did you expect from your internship initially?

While excited to work around baseball, I expected to just be at a desk and completing writing assignments for the entire summer. I did not expect to be as closely involved with other aspects of the Hall of Fame. 

What really happens in your day-to-day work?

Though I loved my standard work of writing stories for the Hall of Fame's website and magazine, I also had the opportunity to present Artifact Spotlights for Museum guests, help run an All Star Game Gala with my fellow interns and work several events during Induction Weekend. The program was quite structured as well, so interns attended several events and seminars that covered career development and what goes on behind-the-scenes at the Hall of Fame.

What connections have you made?

I made so many meaningful connections during my summer in Cooperstown, both with my fellow interns and with Hall of Fame employees. From a professional standpoint, I worked directly with the Hall of Fame's Director of Communications and learned more about what it is like working in public relations/media relations within the sports industry. Along with other professionals in the museum and sports fields, I connected with several alumni from the Steele Internship Program as well. It was interesting to hear what kinds of careers they have gone on to build. Personally, the friendships I made with my fellow interns will last well beyond this summer. Several of us made weekend trips to Boston to see the Red Sox play, spent days on the lakes of Upstate New York and even played in a local baseball league. Each year, former interns are invited back to help with Induction Weekend, so we are looking forward to seeing each other again at future Hall of Fame events. 

What is the most valuable thing you’ll bring back to the classroom after this experience?

I'm excited to bring back a more developed understanding of storytelling to the classroom. When writing for the Hall of Fame, I kept their mission to Preserve History, Honor Excellence and Connect Generations in mind and worked to find deeper meaning when crafting stories about players or artifacts.

If your internship was a book or a chapter in a book, what should it be titled?

“Covering America's Pastime - A Summer at the National Baseball Hall of Fame”

To keep up with Aaron, check out his Linkedin.

For more information about the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, check out their website.