The ability to score a touchdown or dunk a basketball aren’t necessary skills for University of Louisiana at Lafayette students who want to earn a tenure with New Orleans’ Saints or Pelicans.

The city’s pro football and basketball franchises are seeking students from a range of majors who are interested in pursuing careers in the sports, tourism, and entertainment industries.

The franchises will select six students who have applied for the eight-week New Orleans Saints and New Orleans Pelicans Mentorship Program. Each student will team up with one of the organization’s staff members who has expertise that aligns with the student’s career interests and goals.

Mentees will take part in marketing case studies and meet virtually with their mentors weekly, receiving professional advice and networking guidance. They will also have a chance for an in-person visit when they travel to Saints and Pelicans facilities in New Orleans.

Louisiana students enrolled in any of 18 undergraduate programs with at least 60 credit hours and 3.0 or higher GPA’s can apply; students enrolled in five graduate programs are also eligible. The deadline to apply is Friday, Jan. 21.

The Saints and Pelicans Mentorship Program is part of a larger collaboration that began when Louisiana became an Official Higher Education Partner of both teams in 2019. The three-year partnership provides University students with scholarships and networking opportunities.

Students selected for the mentorship program this semester will be the third group of participants. University students selected for the program in 2021 were Brooks DeBord, Connor Louviere, Joshua Moreau, Madelyn Myer, Sean Price and Sha'Kayla Smith.

Myer, an economics major, said the program gave her an “understanding of all the moving pieces and important personnel that go into a professional sports organization.”

“Even if you're in the marketing department, you're also working closely with the sales department, communications department and more. I really enjoyed getting to know my mentor and network with other Saints and Pelicans personnel. The highlight of the program, though, was participating in a marketing activation case study,” Myer said.

Price, who is majoring in management, said he “was able to establish an immediate rapport with my mentor.”

“We had a great relationship, and we were both very comfortable talking with each other. He taught me so much information about the corporate partnerships side of sports. I started this mentorship hoping to learn about different sides of the sports industry, and I came out knowing so much more than I could have imagined,” Price said.

Louisiana.edu