It’s time for the third installment of our “Meet the Intern” series! We continue today with Will Hoven, our Events and Operations Coordinator.
Q: Where are you from?
A: I grew up in Chester, New Jersey, a small town about an hour west of New York City.
Q: What is your Alma Mater? What is your degree in?
A: I graduated from the University of Kansas—Rock Chalk, Jayhawk! My degree is in sport management, with a minor in business.
Q: What made you go from New Jersey all the way to Kansas?
A: My family’s roots are in the Midwest, and I come from a long line of Jayhawks: my twin brother, sister, and I are all third generation KU grads. It took a little getting used to being that far from home, but I couldn’t imagine going anywhere else for school.
Q: What is your position at the Valero Alamo Bowl, and what will you be responsible for?
A: I am this year’s events and operations intern. Between now and the bowl I’ll be responsible for coordinating all events, managing our volunteer program, and assisting with team hospitality.
Q: What part of this experience are you most excited about?
A: There are tons of events that go on outside of the bowl game, each one of them unique and presenting a different set of challenges. Having the chance to work on a wide variety of events—youth clinics, luncheons, golf outings, pep rallies and more—that all build up to our game in late December is very exciting.
Q: Where do you see yourself in five years?
A: Performing event operations for a college, pro team, or athletic association. Going from New Jersey to Kansas to Texas, I’m pretty open to moving. It’s more about finding the right fit.
Q: What advice do you have to prospective students who may want to pursue a career in events and operations?
A: Be proactive in getting involved in athletics early—anything you can do to help out at your school’s athletic department (even if it’s just volunteering) can give you a base of experience to build up your resume. In my case, I started working as a student manager for the Kansas football team as a freshman, so by the time I graduated I had over three years of experience in the field I wanted to be in.
Quick Facts!
- Favorite food? Kansas City BBQ! If you’re ever in town, I’d highly recommend a visit to Joe’s Kansas City and Arthur Bryant’s.
- Favorite show to binge watch on Netflix? House of Cards
- Favorite athlete? Eric Berry
- Favorite sports memory? 2008; Kansas won the Orange Bowl in January followed by the NCAA Basketball Championship in April.
- Favorite holiday? Thanksgiving