Job Shadowing Leads to Events Internship at Heinz Field for SAEM Student Monday, July 28, 2014
Meet Troy Johnston
Major: Sports, Arts and Entertainment Management
Internship title: Event Operations Intern
Internship organization: Heinz Field, PSSI Stadium LLC
Hometown: Beaver, Pa.
Expected graduation: May 2015
Student activities: Captain of the Rugby Club, Community Advisor for the Office of Campus Life and Orientation Leader for Pioneer Experience
Hobbies/interests: Rugby, gym and sports enthusiast
Tell us about your summer internship at Heinz Field.
My position as the event operations intern is very involved. My duties span over several departments including event operations, clubs and suites, guest services and stadium operations. My offices hours are spent preparing for upcoming events. This includes planning, corresponding, meeting and scheduling work with employed team members. I maintain the stadium's uniform room by organizing uniforms as well as issuing and returning the uniforms to employees. While preparing for events, I purchase event supplies for different departments.
During events, I assist with the supervision of event-day team members including ticket takers, seat attendants and ushers, ticket sellers and event mangers. I work with vendors and sponsors on the load in and load out of pre-event festivities. Overall, on event days my job is to make sure the experience of the patron is the best it can possibly be.
Why did you select Point Park?
I chose Point Park specifically for the experience and opportunities I could receive through the SAEM program. I was drawn in by the SAEM professors and the professional careers they have. All the professors still work within the fields that they teach which allows for great networking. Pittsburgh is also a great city for sports. There are so many opportunities with the professional, semi-professional, amateur and collegiate teams in the area.
How did you land this internship?
Freshmen in the SAEM program are required to complete 24 hours total of independent job shadowing. This forces the student to make connections and network on his or her own to acquire the proper hours. My shadowing was done at Heinz Field. I credit the shadowing I did freshman year in the SAEM program to landing this internship because it allowed me to make a connection I have maintained for four years.
What are your career goals and how do you think Point Park will help you reach them?
My career goals are to establish myself in collegiate sports. I want to be working within an athletic department making direct connections with student athletes. The leadership and mentoring skills and experiences I have gained here at Point Park will help me obtain these goals. I want to be able to help and mentor college athletes throughout their college careers and make sure they are doing what they need to in order to accomplish their career goals.
Is there anything else you'd like to add?
Point Park and the SAEM program have taught me the importance of taking the initiative to go out and make a name for myself. By attending Point Park, I have forced myself to step out of my comfort zones to gain proper skills and experiences needed for a long-lasting career.