HUNTSVILLE — Two Alabama A&M University alumni spent the summer interning with NBA teams through the prestigious NBA HBCU Fellowship Program.
Brian Hill, a 2023 finance graduate, interned with the Brooklyn Nets Finance Department, while Jaycie Coleman, a 2021 communications media graduate and master’s student, worked in Global Partnerships with the Denver Nuggets.
“Being in New York and working for an actual NBA team was really exciting,” said Hill. “They also have a WNBA team, so it was fun working for basically two teams and in the stadiums that they own as well.”
Coleman experienced the championship energy in Denver following the Nuggets’ 2023 NBA Championship win.
“The excitement around the office was still buzzing,” she said. “The company that owns Denver also owns professional hockey, lacrosse, and soccer teams, so we got to work at the professional soccer games. It was great experiencing different game day atmospheres.”
Both alumni encourage current students to take advantage of the NBA HBCU Fellowship Program, emphasizing the invaluable skills gained. Several A&M students have, including 2023 marketing graduate Collin Malone. Malone interned with the Houston Rockets and now works as AAMU’s marketing and media relations coordinator.
“I learned a lot more about Excel during my internship than I did in undergrad,” Hill explained. “I got first-hand experience with creating trackers and working on budgets. Even if you’re not interested in sports, it’s still something to apply for. We had people in our fellowship class who don’t even watch sports, and they had a 10 out of 10 experience. Just apply.”
Coleman shared a similar sentiment, reflecting on her work in the partnerships department.
“I helped with account recaps, renewed and solidified brand deals for the season, and tracked merchandise inventory,” she said. “I didn’t get into sports until grad school, and many internships are only open to undergrads. This internship is open to graduate students, and it meant everything to me.”
The NBA Foundation recently featured both alumni highlighting their fellowship journeys on its Instagram page.
Coleman, who also landed an internship at Super Bowl 2024, recently secured her full-time position in Global Partnerships with the Atlanta Hawks.
“I credit the knowledge I gained and the connections I made during my fellowships for getting me here,” she said.
Coleman joins fellow AAMU classmate Mykeanna “Missy” Dotson, who was recently promoted to New Season Sales Consultant for the Atlanta Hawks.
“We were undergrad students together,” Coleman shared. “That’s what I’m saying, everybody knows each other.”
As for Hill, he is pursuing his master’s degree in business administration at AAMU, with plans to graduate in May 2025. He hopes his NBA internship will lead to a full-time opportunity in Texas, “With a job in sports of course.”
For more on the NBA HBCU Fellowship Program visit: https://nbafoundation.nba.com/hbcu-fellowship/
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