Alums Erica Carnegie �鶹��Ʒ S�26MSBM �鶹��Ʒ S�26MBA, Aliya Everett �鶹��Ʒ S�26MSBM �鶹��Ʒ S�26MBA and current graduate student Zuri Sims represented UCF in the United States Golf Association �鶹��Ʒ S�s (USGA) 2026 Pathways Discover Program during this summer �鶹��Ʒ S�s 126th U.S. Open Championship.

Through the hands-on learning experience, students had access to professionals from some of USGA �鶹��Ʒ S�s partners including Deloitte, NBCUniversal, Ally, American Express, Cisco, Lexus and Rolex.

Of the 25-member intern class for 2026, UCF �鶹��Ʒ S�s three accounted for more than any other university in the country. The cohort was selected from the largest and most competitive applicant pool in the Pathways program �鶹��Ʒ S�s five-year history, with 782 applications submitted from candidates representing 44 states and nine countries.

�鶹��Ʒ S�It is a tremendous honor that the USGA continues to choose DeVos students for these positions. �鶹��Ʒ S� �鶹��Ʒ S� Adrien Bouchet

�鶹��Ʒ S�Aliya, Erica and Zuri represent all the best qualities of the DeVos program, �鶹��Ʒ S� says Adrien Bouchet, who serves as Richard & Helen DeVos Foundation endowed chair and eminent scholar of the DeVos sport business management program. �鶹��Ʒ S�They are ambitious, hard-working, and community focused. It is a tremendous honor that the USGA continues to choose DeVos students for these positions. �鶹��Ʒ S�

Resume-Building Experience

Over the 10-day program in June, participants benefitted from an immersive internship experience designed to introduce students from a wide range of backgrounds to career opportunities across the golf industry through networking, mentorship, executive leadership sessions and hands-on operational learning with golf-industry executives and senior business leaders.

Everett, who is now working as a creative services marketing fellow for the Minnesota Timberwolves in a post-graduate internship, says she feels she most benefitted from conversations with members of the USGA Executive Committee at The Meadow Club of Southampton, and a fireside chat with WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert.

�鶹��Ʒ S�She gave us some insight into her perspective on the recent WNBA-CBA negotiations, and the committee members were genuinely curious to learn our stories and passionate about our aspirations, so both opportunities were more of the exclusive parts of this experience that I am very, very grateful for, �鶹��Ʒ S� Everett says.

The program also connected this year �鶹��Ʒ S�s interns for one-on-one mentorship with 25 alumni of the program, who could help advise how to best leverage the invaluable experience.

�鶹��Ʒ S�I’m looking forward to applying what I learned about the business side of sport from the USGA to my coursework as well as my day-to-day at my business strategy and innovation residency with the Orlando Magic this year, �鶹��Ʒ S� Sims says.

UCF-USGA Connections

USGA has turned to UCF before when it needed qualified candidates.

Andy Smith �鶹��Ʒ S�23MSBM �鶹��Ʒ S�23MBA was selected for the 2024 USGA Pathway Interns Class. He now serves as an account manager for partnership marketing for Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment, the parent company of New York �鶹��Ʒ S�s Barclays Center, the Brooklyn Nets and the New York Liberty.

Tiesha Scott �鶹��Ʒ S�24 �鶹��Ʒ S�26MSBM �鶹��Ʒ S�26MBA was named to the inaugural class of the Pathways Launch Internship program this year. Her paid internship opportunity is with the LPGA in Miami.