International and Internship Experiences Shape Jess Charlton’s Career Path 

Jess Charlton '17, a self-designed global management and marketing communications major, has gained real world job experience since her freshman year. It’s paid off—she has a job offer!

Charlton worked with alumna Jan White ’09 and Major League Baseball’s Atlanta Braves to complete a field study during her first year at the College. This study made Charlton realize she enjoyed working in the sports industry, which led her to apply for an internship with the Harrisburg City Islanders, a professional soccer club.

“With the Islanders, I enjoyed working with every aspect of a professional setting,” Charlton said.

Throughout her sophomore year, Charlton worked as a marketing and graphic design intern for the Islanders. The Islanders, a minor-league club, enabled Charlton to work with every department. Charlton communicated with the operations, ticketing, management, marketing, and many other departments on a regular basis. 

When the academic year concluded, an employee at the Islanders helped Charlton find a summer internship with Manchester United Football Club, a professional soccer team in England.

During the summer between her sophomore and junior year, Charlton interned as the interim executive marketing assistant with Manchester United and Euro Sports Camps. She completed a variety of tasks, including copy editing articles, blog posts, and news releases, as well as social media management. She also acted as a liaison between the soccer club and Nike to host soccer camps for the youth. 

“With my England internship, I had to learn to adjust to different cultures,” Charlton said. “I was working in England, but I was working with individuals from all over the world.”

Charlton retuned to The Valley for the fall of her junior year and then headed back to Europe in the spring to study abroad at the Umbra Institute in Perugia, Italy.

At the beginning of her senior year, Charlton was reconnected with the Islanders and became the team’s creative manager. The organization is rebranding and Charlton is in the forefront of that task. She is still a full-time student but manages to also be a part-time employee. 

“We go to a smaller school and students may not see the possible connections,” Charlton said. “However, Harrisburg is a major city with many international connections.”

All of Charlton’s work has paid off; the Islanders have offered Charlton a full-time job after her graduation in May.  

 

 

Rachel Anderson for LVC 430 Feature Writing