For sports management seniors like Anna Greenfield, Noah Stranahan, and Rylan Detling, their classroom is not just the four walls of a lecture hall: it’s Indianapolis, the state’s epicenter of world-class sports and events. Indy’s leading sports organizations offer opportunities galore—all within walking distance from campus. These three are making a name for themselves in the sports community even before they graduate, including coveted internships with Indiana Sports Corp (ISC).
ISC attracts and stages multiple top-tier, high-visibility events annually, including NBA All-star 2024, the NFL Scouting Combine, NCAA tournaments, U.S. Olympic trials, and more. Greenfield serves as a sports tourism intern, helping communities attract and grow high-quality sports through ISC’s Team Indiana grants. Her ISC relationship began through volunteer opportunities encouraged by tourism, event, and sport management (TESM) faculty members.
“This internship has been an amazing way to bring together all my experiences and knowledge from throughout my college journey,” Greenfield believes. “It has me eager to see where I can make my mark on the sports world in the future.”
Stranahan’s focus resides in event logistics through hospitality, signage, and equipment, helping bring upcoming events such as the Division I Men’s Swimming and Diving Championships to life.
“Faculty and classes have set me up for success working as an events intern at Indiana Sports Corp,” Stranahan shares, “and I couldn’t be more thankful for all the opportunities I’ve been provided through IU Indy’s sports management.”
Detling landed his ISC event operations internship after working part-time for former IU Indianapolis facilities and game operations director Joe Reed. Reed, now ISC’s event coordinator, hired Detling to direct brand and spirit activations during events such as the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship.
“Amy Vaughan and Dr. Pierce both played key roles in developing me into the professional that I am today,” Detling says. “Their classes were directly focused on giving students the tools to be successful in the real world, along with gaining experience to be better prepared upon graduation.”
According to TESM department chair David Pierce, Ph.D., having three seniors in the same program interning for the same leading sports organization speaks volumes.
“Like others, these incredible students came to our program with a passion for sports and a drive for success,” Pierce indicates. “Combine that with our hard-working faculty who leverage the power of industry partners like ISC, our program is arguably the state’s ultimate destination for sports management students.”