When Once in a Lifetime Becomes Everyday

Summer internships turn to professional sports career opportunities for Penn State Altoona students

BY SHERRY SULLIVAN

NFL superstars-in-training participate in the Bears' youth football camp run by Michael Hunter and other summer interns.

"It was a dream come true." We say these words now and then, sometimes flippantly, as if passing a celebrity in the airport is actually the realization of a lifelong dream. Our dreams—our childhood fantasies of discovery, fame, fortune and once-in-a-lifetime opportunities—often change to more attainable goals of career advancement, families, and good health. But for two young men, those childhood dreams just won't go away.

For Matt McDermit and Michael Hunter, the MBL Baltimore Orioles and the NFL Chicago Bears were, at one time, reduced to afternoons in front of the television, posters on bedroom walls, and heavily worn ball caps. Today, Matt and Michael are bringing home paychecks—and incredible experiences—from these organizations. How did the transformation take place?

Real World Experience

Matt McDermit, an official member of the Orioles production team.

In Room 101C of the Cypress Building on the Penn State Altoona campus, you can find Bob Trumpbour, assistant professor of communications. A former CBS sports news professional in broadcast operations, Trumpbour was glad to put his industry background to work in helping McDermit and Hunter not only secure their internships but also ensure they were adequately prepared to do quality work within this highly competitive industry. As author of The New Cathedrals: Politics and Media in the History of Stadium Construction (2006), Trumpbour melds his network experience with research and analysis, a unique perspective that gives students a clearer picture of the business of sports.

"We combine an academic component with a hands-on component," Trumbour explains. "The students and I work on a variety of readings, and we develop a strategy that is tailored to what they are trying to do. For example, when I knew that Matt was going to be working with the Orioles, I assigned him a book that focused on the construction, planning, and operations of Camden Yards. When he got there, he was more comfortable with the overall environment. Michael had a number of readings on sports marketing, but we also added the Chicago Bears Media Guide so he had a sense of the organization's public relations function."

As the internships progressed, each student conducted phone meetings with Trumpbour, allowing them to address challenges they faced while in the field. Trumpbour also gets feedback from their site supervisors, helping him gain an understanding into the students' work environments as they complete this internship experience—an experience that brought McDermit and Hunter more than just three college credits.

A Hall of Fame Moment in the Making

Matt McDermit gets one of the best seats in the house - behind the camera.

Born in Easton, Maryland, Matt McDermit had early and regular access to what would become an obsession. "My uncle works at Camden Yards and is the curator at the Babe Ruth Museum," he says. "As a child, I went to a lot of Oriole games. I played baseball every summer. Baseball was my childhood, and my room was full of Cal Ripken. Once I moved to Pennsylvania, everyone identified me as the only Orioles fan in the area."

Learning of the Orioles internship from his uncle, McDermit considered the opportunity a great complement to his communications major at Penn State Altoona. He worked with Trumpbour in addressing the requirements. "I have never met someone who would work so hard to help a student," McDermit says of Trumpbour. "From the second I knew about this possibility, he helped me whenever I needed him. He has great knowledge of sports and communications."

McDermit quickly made arrangements to meet with Mike Stashik, the Orioles' director of production to learn more, and on May 14, he began a journey that would land him in Cooperstown, New York, only months later. "I ended up working the camera for almost all of the home games for in-house production," he states. "The summer went on, and I was assigned more challenging projects including the filming of "Orioles in the Community" weekend publicity events. I was actually using the same cameras I had used in a Penn State Altoona production class."

When July approached, the buzz had started surrounding Cal Ripken's induction into the Hall of Fame. As the organization planned a going-away ceremony for Ripken in Towson, Maryland, McDermit was assigned to film the day's events. His response? "Are you kidding me? Cal Ripken? Let me just say this: the posters are still up in my room." His work was turned into a community segment which ran the week before the induction. Additionally, McDermit was given the field camera that week to cover a pre-game ceremony where Hall of Famers Earl Weaver, Eddie Murray, Brooks Robinson, and Robin Roberts were in attendance to honor Ripken.

"That night," McDemit says, "the stadium was close to being sold out. When it came time for the game, I was actually on the field camera. When they announced Brooks Robinson, he walked right by me. Everyone was standing and applauding. We had prepared a tribute video highlighting Ripken's career. Once it started playing, everyone got quiet. I was looking around to see the reactions of people. I felt very privileged. This is what I loved as a kid."

McDermit's summer internship culminated in a trip to Cooperstown during induction weekend. Additionally, he has worked with the Camden Yards announcer to prepare a textbook segment on announcing. He has an invitation to return next summer and cannot wait to hear those first words of the season—"Play ball!"

Michael Hunter: Learning It the Super Bowl Way

Hunter takes some time off from the Bears' summer training camp to relax.

There is no question that there are loyal Chicago Bears' fans. Remember the days of Da Bears, Ditka, and the Super Bowl Shuffle? But how did a kid from Dubois, Pennsylvania end up working the Bears' training camp?

"My dad and I have always been Bears fans," Michael Hunter explains. "As I started to think about internships, I thought the Bears organization would be a great place to work. We went to the 2005 Chicago Bears Fan Convention at the Chicago Hilton. I asked the CEO, Ted Phillips, about internships. He pointed me to Media Director Scott Hagel."

Drawing upon his previous experience as the ticket liaison for the visiting team's parent gate at Penn State home football games, Michael applied for the internship in the spring of 2006. A communications major at Penn State Altoona, he was excited to learn that he would be working in the Advertising and Events Department with the Bears during summer training camp at Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, Illinois. "Our team managesthe player and fan interface," he says. "This includes pre-game parties, training camp, and the fan convention. My first job was actually working the inflatable games in the Entenmann's Kid Zone. I also got to work autograph sessions just as I had done at Penn State games. It was all an amazing experience. Where else would I be able to stand in line for mashed potatoes with Brian Urlacher?"

As with many Bears' staff, the highlight of Hunter's experience came in the fall of 2006 when the Bears clinched their second consecutive NFC North title, winning their first playoff game since 1995 and earning a trip to Super Bowl XLI. "I had a sense of pride that I was involved in something very special."

Invited back for a second summer, Hunter was privileged to arrive a week early, helping to set up for training camp and gaining valuable insight into promotional operations and vendor relations. He also helped run the youth football camps. "I have learned a lot and would like to work in sports," he says as he considers future trips to Soldier Field to help with home games. "I am happy to work my way up. And I would like to thank Professor Trumpbour for his help in all of this. He is someone who really had a feel for what I would be doing."