Travis Tosoni-SpMgmt

Experiential Student Essay

My freshman year at was a year of change. College life brought new friendships, new challenges, and new opportunities. As my first year came to a close, I felt that it was time to take another step forward and begin applying for internships. After completing the preliminary processes at the Career Center and fine-tuning my résumé, I set off on finding an internship that would provide a great experience for me.

After a thorough search, I decided to apply for a position as a production intern with

Madison Square Garden. Being a Sport Management major, I knew this particular type of position was rather unusual for a business student, as it seems more geared towards the

Communications field. I was fortunate enough to earn an interview, and was asked to come into the corporate offices in Manhattan. Coming from a rural town with less than 5,000 people, the thought of interviewing for a position in New York City was overwhelming to say the least.

I was interviewed by Colleen Stratton, a human resources representative with a friendly smile and calm demeanor. She asked me a handful of questions varying in complexity and afterwards took me to meet Bob dePoto, one of MSG’s executive producers. He explained that the position I applied for was to be the production intern on game-days with the

Devils. If I were to get the position, I would be required to work at all Devils home games for the upcoming months. I was cautiously optimistic after completing my interview process and two weeks later, I was offered the internship.

My first day of work was truly an experience. I walked into the employee entrance of

Prudential Center and immediately got started. I was happily surprised at all of the responsibilities and tasks I was given from the start, and really worked hard to gain the trust of my new employers. After just a couple of weeks, I was prepping for meetings, proofing promotional reads for on-air, and even coordinating live player interviews during intermissions. I was immersed in the world of professional hockey and live television, and I could not have been happier. Every game, I strived to complete all of my duties thoroughly and correctly, and after I was finished, I would look for even more work to do. I thrived in the atmosphere of working in the professional sports industry and I truly enjoyed heading to work every day.

Before I knew it, it was mid-December and my internship was completed. Although working 12-hour days and balancing a 15 –credit course schedule was difficult, I would not have traded the experience for the world. My opportunity lit a fire within me; a desire to work hard because now I knew what the rewards would be. During this time, I also enjoyed my most successful semester at Seton Hall academically, while also making valuable connections in the sports and entertainment industry through networking.

The majority of my success can easily be traced back to Seton Hall and the various clubs and organizations in which I am involved in. For example, as an editor for The Stillman

Exchange, I work at composing a business news publication for the on-campus community.

While providing a service to my fellow classmates, I also learned the art of time management and meeting deadlines. Another organization to which I belong is the Sport Management Student

Association. Through SMSA, I participate in numerous events, none bigger than our annual SHU blood drive. Volunteering at an event that is such a help to people in need is something I am very proud of.

These examples of servant leadership at Seton Hall are just a couple of ways in which to illustrate how important and beneficial it is to be an active member of a community. I learned invaluable lessons that truly helped me when starting my working career and these lessons will, more importantly, serve me as an individual. Through all of these experiences, I have attained a wealth of knowledge that will truly stay with me for a lifetime.