When it’s game night at Madison Square Garden, and the New York Knicks run onto the basketball court to meet their opponents, David Williamson, ‘22, is ready to work.
As an intern in the public relations department at the New York Knicks, he creates game notes during home games, transcribes quotes from players and coaches, and assists media teams during the games with statistics, among other responsibilities.
Even on practice days, Williamson says he often commutes to the practice facility in Westchester, New York, to assist the public relations team.
“I think for me it’s about gaining as much hands-on experience as I can get because this is an industry I definitely can see myself landing in,” Williamson said.
A communication major with a minor in sports management, Williamson says his classes and the expertise he’s gained from conversations outside of the classroom with Assistant Professor of Professional Practice Mark Beal and other SC&I faculty members have prepared him well for this challenging internship experience. Williamson said he has taken three undergraduate courses with Beal, and he has thoroughly enjoyed each one of them.
“The classes at SC&I have 100% helped prepare me for this current internship at Madison Square Garden,” Williamson said. “Taking a wide array of classes related to communication has allowed me to really find my passion in the world of communication and journalism for that matter.”
Williamson said he also credits Beal for helping him find and land the two internships he’s had as an undergraduate. “He helped me land my first internship at 35 Ventures which is a business company led by Kevin Durant and his agent Rich Kleiman. I give a lot of credit to Professor Beal for helping me network but also teaching me how to navigate the real world,” Williamson said. “He has become a very close professor, mentor, and friend of mine.”
While Williamson is planning to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in May, he is taking advantage of SC&I’s Dual-Degree program, so he will stay at SC&I after graduation to finish earning his Master of Communication and Media degree.
While Williamson is earning his master’s degree, he said he would like to continue to explore other internship opportunities and spend some time traveling. As MCM student he said he plans to specialize in leadership communication or public relations.
“I have really enjoyed just meeting new people throughout my internship and I consider many of them to be the best at what they do, so I’m very lucky to learn from them,” said Williamson.
More information about majoring in Communication at the Rutgers School of Communication and Information is on the website.
Photo and video: Courtesy of Mark Beal
