Roxie Freifeld '27 had a big-league summer

What did you do this summer in your internship? 

I interned with Just Baseball Media running all correspondence for Athletes Unlimited Softball. I wrote a handful of articles each week reporting on updates from the AUSL (Athletes Unlimited Softball League) season and contributing to social media content as well. 

How did Oberlin influence you to pursue this internship? 

My research with Dr. Rebecca Totton focuses on perceptions of competitiveness and threat amongst trans athletes in collegiate sports and I've become more involved in the impact of the growing world of women's sports. Additionally, Amanda Phillips in athletic communications has given me the incredible opportunity to cover softball for GoYeo.com and I've greatly improved my journalistic skills. 

How does this internship align with your post-college goals?

My goal is to get into women's sports, either in communications or growth and development, and this internship has given me so many opportunities to teach others about the growth of the AUSL and has allowed me to connect with some incredible people working in women's sports.

Is there anything you’ve learned this summer that surprised you or made a big impression?

Being able to attend pro games as press has taught me a lot about the workings of professional sports teams, especially up-and-coming ones. Having opportunities to talk directly with coaches and players really helps to write engaging articles.

How has your liberal arts education shaped the way you think about science or research?

My liberal arts education has taught me that there is no one path to working in a field like sports. I'm able to use my psychology degree in so many ways to take a new approach to this internship. 

What drew you to your major or area of interest?

I've always known I wanted to study psychology, but it wasn't until I started working in Dr. Totton's lab that I really discovered the connections between social psychology, social impact, and women's sports. Understanding perceptions of women athletes in any context really deepens my understanding of how women's professional leagues operate and how they lean into the innate community they build to expand their audience. 

To learn more about internships that can jumpstart your future career, check out Career Exploration and Development's guide.