Excelling (Remotely) Outside the Classroom
10/9/2020
Mount senior lands sports media internship amidst global pandemic
Internship opportunities for Mount Saint Vincent students are typically boundless, thanks in large part to the campus’ pivotal New York City location, close proximity to midtown Manhattan, and our supportive Oxley Integrated Advising Program. But 2020 has been anything but typical, with the COVID-19 pandemic putting a damper on chances for students to both earn credits and showcase talents for potential employers.
Anthony Fontanello ’21 is one of the many students who aren’t letting life’s obstacles get in the way of their dreams.
Anthony, a Yonkers, New York native and communication major, aspired to enter the sports media realm ever since he stepped on campus. His goal was to secure an internship with a major sports media corporation heading into his final year at the Mount—and even though the pandemic hindered his efforts, he didn’t let it get in the way of getting his foot in the door. Anthony spent the time at home from mid-March up until the beginning of the Fall semester scouring the internet for any internship he could get his hands on.
“It was difficult trying to find an internship,” he said. “I checked Indeed, Chegg, Handshake, Google Internships and so many other websites on an everyday basis. I had a couple of outlets respond to me, but because of the pandemic, they couldn’t guarantee me a start date.”
Vendetta Sports Media, an online media outlet that covers all major sports in both written and audio format, was the first company to get back to Anthony. After sending the company work samples that Anthony created in his sports writing class, a Zoom interview landed him the internship with just two weeks to spare before classes kicked off in September.
As expected, the uptick in work has been an interesting twist to Anthony’s final semester at the Mount.
“I’ve been trying to do it all for Vendetta. On any given day I’ll cover a breaking news story from the NBA, write an opinion piece on the NFL, and then break down a baseball game right after. I’ve had to cut dinner short or get up early before classes to get a story done, but that’s what’s fun about this business.”
Anthony’s already written over two dozen articles and he’s not slowing down anytime soon. One of his recent features, “Aaron Rodgers Is on a War Path, Carving Defenses in His Wake,” highlights the quarterback and his sizzling start to the 2020 season. Stay up-to-date with Anthony’s articles—from baseball, to basketball, to football.
And he also hosts a fantasy football podcast with Vendetta, where he shares advice to listeners on a weekly basis. On a recent episode, he spoke with co-host Scott Logush about A.J. Brown, George Kittle, Alshon Jeffery, Chris Godwin, and more as there were multiple injuries going into week two of the NFL season. As always, they were ready to break it all down. Check out more of Anthony’s fantasy football picks, predictions, and more.
Despite the workload, Anthony is only seeing positives from it.
“This is always something I wanted to do—and it has made the pandemic a lot easier, too. Even though it’s remote, communicating with coworkers and figuring things out through Zoom calls has been an easy transition.”
Anthony has experienced the hardships of landing an internship and offered advice to classmates who are currently searching for one.
“Send your resume and cover letter to as many places as possible. You can’t get discouraged! It’s a tough time to get internships as it is, and today’s climate made it even tougher. But the one thing you can’t do is give up.”
About the University of Mount Saint Vincent
Founded in 1847 by the Sisters of Charity, the University of Mount Saint Vincent offers nationally recognized liberal arts education and a select array of professional fields of study on a landmark campus overlooking the Hudson River. Committed to the education of the whole person, and enriched by the unparalleled cultural, educational, and career opportunities of New York City, the College equips students with the knowledge, skills, and experiences necessary for lives of professional accomplishment, service, and leadership in the 21st century.