Courtesy of NCCU Athletics
DURHAM, N.C. — Recent HBCU graduate Ashanti Eubanks of the North Carolina Central University (NCCU) softball team has been chosen to intern at the Nike World Headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon this summer.
The 10-week internship begins on the first week of June and wraps up in mid-August as the Eagles’ pitcher shares excitement about being selected for such a competitive internship opportunity.
“I am most excited about exploring Beaverton and Portland, gaining marketing experience firsthand, networking with individuals from across the country, and of course training in Nike facilities,” said Eubanks.
The athletic brand hosted a Kick It with Nike, Inc. event on NCCU’s campus during the fall 2023 semester geared towards NC Central student-athletes and highlighted work opportunities with Nike.
After Eubanks submitted an internship application, she was invited to participate in three different virtual interviews with the organization. Members of the Nike World Headquarters’ brand marketing team extended the offer to Eubanks to intern during the summer.
“When I first received the email from Nike that they wanted to continue the interview process I was hopeful, but once I received the official internship offer I was excited and overjoyed,” said Eubanks. “I just kept thanking God for opening the door for the experience at Nike, a company essential to my lifestyle and athletics.”
Ashanti Eubanks will be working in the brand marketing department at the Nike campus. The business administration graduate who also studied management will team up with other interns from across the country to execute various projects throughout the summer.
The Summerville, S.C. native earned her bachelor’s degree in early May, and outside of playing HBCU softball, she is very involved on campus at her HBCU. Eubanks is a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, Career Financial Advancement Program, Beta Gamma Sigma, and NCCU’s Honors program with plans to continue her education in pursuit of her professional goals.
“I hope to gain new skills and experience in an area of business that I have limited knowledge in such as marketing,” explains Eubanks. “I plan to pursue my master’s degree in marketing and I want to work in that field for a professional sports team or become a collegiate pitching coach. My degree and skills learned at Nike will allow me to accomplish both goals.”
Eubanks joins former NCCU softball outfielder Miriam Duen as the second player in the program to travel to the West Coast to intern with the official apparel partner of NCCU Athletics. Duen was a human resource and diversity inclusion intern with Nike in 2018.
“We are so excited for Ashanti and this amazing opportunity,” said Lucy Mason, Assistant Director of Student-Athlete Experience. “The internship is extremely competitive and it has been six years since our last student-athlete, Miriam Duen, was selected. We are committed to providing opportunities and programming that enhance our student-athletes ability to maximize their experiences as student-athletes and Ashanti is an example of that.”