EDITOR’S NOTE: Once again this summer, Front Row’s Intern Chronicles series showcases some of ESPN’s summer interns. For more information on ESPN Internships, visit the ESPN Careers site.
Eric Nielson is one of the nation’s elite: He’s currently active as a United States Senior Airman in the Air Force even while earning a bachelors degree and (in 2017) a masters degree in communications from the University of Wyoming and Louisiana State University, respectively.
As a summer intern in ESPN’s Sales and Marketing department in New York, the 24-year-old Wyoming native comes to the network with a far more varied experience and different background than most. Front Row sat down with him to talk to him about how sports has influenced his life in the military.
What do you hope to gain from your experience as an intern at ESPN?
Not only do I hope to gain knowledge of the job I’m doing, but I also hope to gain a wider network of the most amazing people a company could hire, to experience working for a company most people only dream about, and to further both my career and personal life to where I can set myself up for success.
What kind of opportunities does ESPN have for veterans?
ESPN offers countless opportunities for veterans reaching across all aspects of a veteran’s career and life. From the hiring process, the Walt Disney Company launched the “Heroes Work Here” initiative in 2012, to transitioning from military to civilian life, to life at ESPN with the Veterans ERG (employee resource group) and the networking and personal/career development that that group offers; ESPN really does create a community that veterans can thrive in.
What does it mean to you that ESPN has employee groups, including one for veterans, (also, Pulse, ESPN EQUAL, ESPN Women, ABLE, ESPN Enabled, ESPN Families and Goal!) and the chance to connect with colleagues that either are part of or support that group?
Since Day One, I have felt a part of the ESPN family – even as an intern. It doesn’t surprise me at all that such an inclusive company as ESPN offers resources like these to their employees, but it does surprise me the extent at which these groups are able to operate and the vast amount of groups there are that can be applicable to every employee within the company.
To learn more about employee resource groups at ESPN, click here.
Shannon Donohue and Jon McLeod produced the video below.
