MasterCard's ubiquitous "Priceless" marketing campaign promises that "for everything else there's MasterCard."
Thanks to the credit card company's "Priceless Experience" initiative, which offers internships in film, music or sports, MasterCard's advertisments might not be an understatement.
Over the past few months, MasterCard has been advertising their "Priceless Experience" internship program, which offers an opportunity for 12 lucky contestants to pursue summer internships in the music, film and sports industries. Though I have surfed past MasterCard's commercial campaign, there was one feature that grabbed my attention, Boston's "Boy Wonder" General Manager, Theo Epstein.
As an avid sports fan, I get excited and encouraged when I see examples of young people making a quick impact in the sports industry. While the past decade has seen its share of barely legal professional successes such as Kobe Bryant and LeBron James, what about motivation for kids more like myself -- those who stopped growing at 5' 2'' and whose clash with puberty traded baseball in exchange for slow pitch softball? Fortunately for those of us who have been forced to limit our passion for sports to statistics, there is still hope as best manifested in Epstein.
This past February, Epstein took a breather from the Red Sox spring training camp in Fort Meyers, Fla., to endorse the MasterCard internship to students via a telephone interview. Epstein shared his own personal story, explaining how at age 28 he managed to become the youngest GM in the history of professional sports.
Epstein started out like any typical college student, filling out internship applications during the spring of his freshman year at Yale University, where he was co-editor of the sports section of the Yale Daily News. After sending out dozens of letters to Major League Baseball teams, Epstein received a sole bite back from the Baltimore Orioles, who consequently offered him a summer job.
Epstein reminisced, "My career in baseball began with an internship for the Baltimore Orioles when I was 18. An internship is a perfect way to get some experience under your belt when trying to secure full-time employment after graduation. It certainly makes a candidate much more attractive."
Epstein recommended interning before jumping into the job market or going to graduate school.
"Get an internship before pursuing a post-graduate degree," he said. "See if the field is right for you. Find out if the degree is necessary. The internship is perfect for that. A lot of degrees aren't necessary; experience is most important."
Orioles president Larry Lucchino was so impressed with the 18-year-old Epstein that he invited him back for the next two summers. Consequently, Epstein joined Lucchino and the San Diego Padres franchise after graduating from Yale.
Winners of the "Priceless Experience" interested in sports will win an internship in the Major League Baseball offices in New York City as well as a job working at the 2005 All-Star Game in Detroit.
