I had what every college student has...a mid-college crisis. I realized that I really had no idea what I wanted to do for a career. So I got online and started searching different jobs, industries and obviously the "what career should I do" quizzes (you know you all did those too...don't lie). From some previous internships I had throughout college, I knew that I loved problem solving, meeting and building relationships with people and having a great team environment and culture, so I just had to find the perfect job that hit all of those things..easy! I had come across a job opening in the sports industry for an entry level position in Corporate Partnerships for the Miami Dolphins that really interested me. When I went to apply for the position online, you know it's bad when the "number of applicants" up at the top of the posting says 1,000+. I hadn't had any previous experience in the sports industry so I figured that this Sophomore would never get this Summer Staff Assistant position but I applied anyways. I knew that I had to make myself stand out past a silly resume so I sent my resume and cover letter in a big box to the VP of the department (since if you get sent a massive box to your office, you're going to open it) and expressed my passion for the role. I ended up getting a phone interview which lead to more than a few in person interviews. I was still up at school during this time so every time that I was called in for an interview or lunch, I knew how important it was for my future and drove 5 hours each time to make the meeting and prove that I was dedicated. Long story short, I had gotten the summer position but then was actually not able to accept due to the fact that I was a Sophomore and they only accepted Juniors and Seniors. I was crushed. Luckily the woman I worked with in the HR department believed in me and she invited me to shadow her a few times. In those days I made relationships with those who worked for the team and they asked if I would help them out working on game days..of course I accepted (even though for my senior year I would be driving 5 hours there and back to work the Dolphins home games, but it was worth it). After proving that I would inconvenience myself and work harder than anyone, after graduation I was offered a position on the Corporate Partnerships team. This team and this organization is filled with opportunities and I have grown so much in the 3 and a half years I have been here. I just completed a 7-month leadership rotation program where I was able to learn from different leaders across the organization, how each department is run and how all the teams work together. It was truly an amazing experience that has pushed me to be a better leader and team member in my current role as the Manager for Partnership Activation.