Marketing, School of Business, Career and Internship Center

Antonio La Gamba '23 is more comfortable with the ball at his feet. He can appreciate the skill and athleticism required for lacrosse, but he wouldn't know what to do with the stick. Still, the soccer player with professional ambition found enlightenment as an intern for a professional lacrosse team. 

"This experience made me realize, more than ever, that I want to become a professional athlete and coach at the highest level. It was eye opening to see the professionalism of the players and coaches of the FireWolves firsthand."

Antonio is an intern in the Albany FireWolves marketing department. He's used Canva to create social media posts and has gained a more nuanced sense of how a front office inspires fan engagement.

"It was interesting to see what different roles and jobs exist behind the scenes for a professional sports team. As a current D1 and semi-pro soccer player it made me better appreciate the jobs that people do that allow me and my teammates to play the sport we love." 

Antonio plans to earn his MBA at Siena while taking advantage of his final year of eligibility. Then, if all goes well, he'll earn a paycheck with a professional soccer team – playing, not posting. But, that doesn't mean his all-access pass to professional lacrosse, as a marketing intern, wasn't worth it. 

"It was amazing interacting with the fans and seeing how excited the kids get to meet the players and get their autographs after the game. It was nice to see that these players are role models to kids that play lacrosse in the community. It gives kids in Albany the opportunity to dream about becoming a pro athlete some day. This experience made me really want to be a better role model to some of the kids who look up to me and want to have a good D1 college athletic career."

Antonio noted that the value of an internship is rarely in the details, but it's the overall experience of growth and perspective. 

"Overall, I am extremely grateful for the opportunity that I had this semester to work as an intern with the Albany FireWolves. This experience was extremely valuable to me because it taught me countless lessons and granted me the opportunity to meet excellent people."