Adrian College receives NCAA grant to launch two-year athletics internship
Posted Friday, March 13, 2026
Author: Jake Docking
Adrian College was awarded a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Pathway to Excellence Grant totaling $66,000 through a competitive national program designed to help colleges and athletic conference offices develop entry-level administrators committed to careers in college athletics. The award will fund a new sports information and athletic operations intern position at Adrian College for two-years, supporting game coverage and operations for the college’s 53 athletic teams.
The internship will provide hands-on experience in a wide range of areas within intercollegiate athletics, including athletic communications, event management, game operations and student workforce supervision. The intern will report to Adrian College’s Director of Sports Information, Mike Prang. In addition to day-to-day operational responsibilities, the intern will gain insight into the broader strategic functions of a collegiate athletics department through mentorship from senior athletics leadership.
“This position will give the intern an incredible opportunity to learn many aspects of athletic communications and event operations,” Prang said. “Working in a department that supports 53 teams means there is constant activity and learning. The intern will gain real experience writing, managing events and helping tell the stories of our student-athletes.”
Jake Docking, the grant writer and Dean of Retention and Enrollment Services at Adrian College, said it is an outstanding opportunity for someone finishing college or just beginning their career to gain significant experience in collegiate athletics.
“We are grateful to the NCAA for supporting this program and helping us create a pathway for an emerging professional to learn the many facets of athletics administration,” Docking said.
Adrian College has 53 athletic teams, including 28 NCAA varsity teams, making it one of the largest athletic departments in the country. The new intern will gain broad exposure to the day-to-day operations of a large athletics department, assisting with game-day coverage for about 300 events per year, writing game recaps and feature stories, supporting livestreaming and social media efforts and helping coordinate the logistics behind athletic contests and special events
Through these experiences, the intern will have the opportunity to build a professional portfolio and develop leadership skills that prepare them for a future career in athletics administration.
“Programs like this create real pathways into college athletics careers,” Docking said. “We’re excited to hire someone at Adrian who wants to learn, grow and help support the success and visibility of our student-athletes and teams.”
Adrian College expects to post the position in the coming weeks and begin the interview process shortly thereafter.
