Brendan Carpenter
Where philanthropy meets sports
Senior sport management major, Brendan Carpenter did his semester internship with the Boston Bruins Foundation; a nonprofit that strives to improve the lives of families by collaborating with charitable organizations. While handling responsibilities on the business side of the foundation, Carpenter got to directly experience the impact it has on the community.
What is a day in the life of your internship like?
Most of my days at my internship site consisted of handling donations and customer service. Whether it was sending out memorabilia to fundraisers in the Boston area or preparing for an upcoming Bruins game, every day was different. There were times that the Boston Bruins would be hosting events and I would have to spend my day off-site. Some examples were the annual Bruins Golf Tournament or the Faceoff for Heroes Classic where the Bruins alumni team played against the New York Rangers alumni team.
What is the most significant project you have worked on?
I think the projects that were most significant to me were the game day events that the Foundation would host. Consisting of raffle prizes or giveaways, it was nice to see people come up to the table and be astonished at the prizes we were giving away. From a Torey Krug signed jersey to a Christmas tree covered in gift cards and other little prizes, it was awesome to see people’s eyes light up.
Does your internship relate to your major and desired future career (what is that)? Do you think it got you a step closer to that end goal?
I believe that being a part of the Boston Bruins Foundation this past semester really opened up a lot of potential career paths for me. It has helped me realize that I want to stay in professional sports and potentially create foundations for teams that have yet to do so. I believe that every sports association should have a foundation that creates a positive reputation for the team, while improving the lives of others. Supporting local charities, hospitals, and veterans are just a few examples of the potential partnerships. For example, the Boston Bruins Foundation supported various charities like the Special Olympics of Massachusetts, first responders, Martin Richard Foundation, Lt. Jason Menard, and many more through its use of 50/50 fundraising and events.
What is your best tip for networking with site supervisors and internship colleagues?
Stay connected! With spending an entire semester with a supervisor and colleagues, it is important that you catch up with them after the internship to see how they're doing. Using websites like LinkedIn and Handshake allows you to stay connected to those within the foundation. It is also important to continue to network in the field you want to go into. If your supervisor (or colleague) knows someone that works for another professional team, have them connect you with them for future opportunities.
What advice do you have for future Endicott interns to help them get the most out of their experience?
The best advice I can give to future Endicott College interns is to find a site that has the most potential for you to grow. With my three internships, I made sure to not only focus on different fields, but to continue to create opportunities for myself. From a local gym (Mike Boyle's Strength & Conditioning) to college athletics (Boston University Athletics) to professional sports (Boston Bruins Foundation), I wanted to grow with each internship.