NSU Horizons Fall 2017

47 NSU HORIZONS Dolphins Internships A few months ago, NSU students Madison Towriss and Stephanie Barrios were not exactly diehard foot- ball fans. Now, after spending the summer as student interns for the Miami Dolphins, the two give a Fins Up to fellow NSU Sharks who will be among the football fans at the NFL team’s home games at the Hard Rock Stadium this season. Barrios and Towriss are the first NSU students to intern with the Miami Dolphins since the team and the university formed a unique partnership that offers students free tickets to home games, tailgate celebrations, and opportunities for summer internships, career development, and community service. The students did so well as interns that both women have been asked to stay on at the Dolphins organization; and, this time, they also will be acting as all-out football fans. “I’m from Colombia; so, we’re very big on soccer. Football has never been a craze in my family. When this season hits, it will be a completely different experience,” said Barrios, who graduated from NSU’s College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences in May 2017 with a B.A. in Communication Studies. Although she grew up in South Florida watching Dolphins games with her dad, Towriss also has never been a big fan. “I’m not a huge sports fan—that’s not something I had ever thought I would do,” said Towriss, a student at NSU’s H. Wayne Huizenga College of Business and Entrepreneurship. “Now that I’m work- ing with the Dolphins, I really enjoy it. It is definitely exciting,” said the senior, who is majoring in marketing, with a minor in graphic design. “We are very proud that our Fins football partnership includes a guaranteed number of paid summer intern- ships,” said Brad Williams, Ed.D., vice president for student affairs and dean of the College of Undergraduate Studies. “To our knowledge, this is the only NFL franchise-university partnership that provides so much support and opportunity for the university and its students. While the partnership centers around football, our two organizations are commit- ted to our students’ career development, talent manage- ment, and community impact.” Based at the team offices at Hard Rock Stadium, Barrios was assigned to Guest Experience, where she was responsible for ensuring guests received appropriate assistance during events, concerts, and games. Barrios worked inside the stadium during headline events— including Metallica and U2 concerts, and El Clasico, a global sporting event featuring La Liga soccer clubs Barcelona and Real Madrid. El Clasico was especially exciting for Barrios, because she is a soccer fan. “In Guest Experience, each person is assigned a floor at the stadium to supervise,” Barrios said. “On event days, we make sure that we are providing assistance overall. There are different types of crowds at different events and at different seating levels. You have the luxury level, the 200 Club level, the 100 level. It teaches you ways to think outside the box—how can I provide these guests with the experience they want?” continued on next page BY KATHLEEN KERNICKY