NORTHERN TODAY 12 FALL 2014 The Northern State University senior is spending fall semester as the event operations intern for the Kansas City Chiefs. Lien, a sport marketing and administration major from Sioux Falls, is planning, coordinating and assisting with corporate and stadium-wide events. He’s also attending meetings with corporate sponsors and reaching out to new clients. It’s an extremely exciting experience, though Lien said he won’t be swaying in loyalty from his favorite NFL team. “My affiliation is still with the Vikings,” he joked. “But it’s just such a cool opportunity, I can’t pass it up.” Lien isn’t the first NSU sport marketing and administration student to land a great internship. Kasey Gengler also loves the Vikings – and he spent his summer working with them. Taylor Morsching, an alum of the NSU program, is working as a U.S. Paralympics Emerging & Talent Identification Intern with the United States Olympic Committee in Colorado Springs, Colo. And students don’t have to leave campus to score a solid internship. Recent grad Alex Webster worked in compliance with coach Terri Holmes right here on campus. The fact that students are being selected for these high-profile internship opportunities is a testament to the growth of the program, which is led by Dr. Thomas Orr, assistant professor of sport marketing and administration. The sport marketing and administration program was new when Orr started at Northern four years ago. It has grown to consistently stay at a healthy number of students, roughly 40-60, he said. Hands-on program The sport marketing and administration program is both rigorous and thorough and well prepares NSU students for their internship responsibilities. Field experience and service learning are major components of the program, Orr said. Students work for the Aberdeen Wings hockey team and at NSU games. Many classes require 20 hours in the field. “We put them in tough situations before they get there,” Orr said. It’s a very modern curriculum, he added, with the goal of making students hirable after graduation. “That’s really what everybody wants,” Orr said. Other hands-on applications include mock trials such as the one Orr’s students did this spring involving the national case of Richie Incognito’s alleged bullying of another Miami Dolphins player. Students also create marketing plans, coordinate the kid zone at football games and conduct case studies. For instance, when they work for the Wings, they might examine the parking situation and suggest methods of improvement. Another hands-on example is a recent campus forum that Lien took part in, where students presented plans for building a new stadium on campus. Campus involvement helps Lien, whose parents are Barb Dickson and Kirk Lien of Sioux Falls, has been actively involved at NSU. He works for the NSU Admissions Department and is an orientation leader. He is also involved with the Campus Activities Board and Ambassador Program, and was awarded Student Volunteer of the Year. Those campus involvement opportunities, he said, have helped prepare him for his internship. At other schools, it’s more difficult to join a campus organization because there are so many people. “Here, if you really want to do something on campus, you can do it – you have the opportunity,” he said. Lien, who has minors in business and entrepreneurship, offered advice to other students seeking an internship. STUDENT HIGHLIGHTS Gaining field experience While most of us are watching NFL teams on TV this fall, Derek Lien has a much closer viewpoint. “HERE, IF YOU REALLY WANT TO DO SOMETHING ON CAMPUS, YOU CAN DO IT – YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY.” – Derek Lien continued on page 13 NSU senior Derek Lien spent his fall semester as an event operations intern for the Kansas City Chiefs. Photograph by Meg Williams
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NzkyNTY=