Intern (Greater Columbus Sports Commission)

Status: Part-time (average 20 hours/week), non-exempt. In-person at our Columbus, Arena District office with 20–30% local travel to offsite meetings and events. Pay rate: $17/hour.

About the role

The GCSC professional intern will work with staff across marketing, event management, communications, partnerships, research, and business development on tasks, projects, and events tied to current GCSC initiatives and sporting events in the Greater Columbus region. By joining the Sports Commission, you’ll help make sporting events successful in Columbus—bringing fans, participants, and economic impact to Central Ohio since 2002.

Responsibilities

• Assist the Events department on internal and external events: supply distribution, promotional activities, volunteer recruitment and administration.
• Support onsite activations, site visits, and event management for major events, including:
  • 2026 MAC Women’s Soccer Championships (Nov. 1–7, 2026)
  • USA Fencing North American Cup (Nov. 20–23, 2026)
  • 2026 DIII Men’s & Women’s Soccer Finals (Dec. 3–6, 2026)
  • 2027 NCAA Women’s Final Four (April 2–4, 2027)
• Assist Marketing and Communications with social media content, reporting, board reports, newsletters, and press releases.
• Support Business Development with competitive-set research and projects.
• Help the Partnerships team with prospect research and sales.
• Research, create, and present an internship project outlined by GCSC.
• Handle special projects individually or within a department.
• Perform administrative duties as assigned.
• Attend Experience Columbus or Sports Commission community and industry functions.
• Demonstrate commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion by ensuring event accessibility.
• Some events may require early mornings, evenings, or weekends.

Qualifications

• Enrolled in or recently completed (within 6 months) an associate or bachelor’s degree in hospitality management, sports management, business administration, or a related field (preference for rising third- or fourth-year undergraduates and graduate students).
• Experience (through education, work, or both) in:
  • Sports, hospitality, events, travel, or service industries
  • Small-team or office environments
  • Independent and team-based projects
  • Leading tasks, teams, or projects
• Excellent attention to detail; self-starter with a can-do attitude and affinity for sports, tourism, or hospitality.
• Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, SharePoint, and professional social media use.
• Comfortable working independently and across teams, with visitors, and community partners.
• Strong time-management skills; ability to prioritize and meet deadlines.
• Flexible thinking, growth mindset, and resilience.
• Passion for Columbus and sports; motivated to exceed expectations.
• Commitment to learning and applying Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility principles.
• Reliable transportation to Columbus site locations; ability to travel locally 20–30%.
• Must obtain and maintain Experience Columbus Insider (ECI) accreditation.
• Minimum age of 18; nonlocal interns must arrange their own housing.

Physical demands

• Ability to monitor and view computer screens for extended periods.
• Frequent talking and listening with team members and external contacts.
• Regular sitting at a desk; standing or sitting for long periods during event registration.
• Occasional lifting of 10–20 pounds.