NORTHAMPTON, Mass. - A number of Smith College student-athletes take advantage of the summer months to participate in internship opportunities that will enhance their academic experience. This week we highlight Claire Cicchetti (Menlo Park, Calif./Woodside), a rising senior on the Smith College volleyball team. 

Tell us about your internship:
During my time in Sydney, I have had the privilege to work with Basketball New South Wales, as well as Basketball Tasmania. Both of these organizations are the governing bodies for all levels of basketball in their particular region (Australia is enormous, so they need to divide governing bodies by state). There is very little funding allotted to the sport of basketball in Australia, which is having a tremendous impact on the conditions of facilities used by players in the region. The project that I have been working on for about the past month has been a statewide collection of data, and a final report of all facilities used by Basketball Tasmania. To collect all of the data required, I have needed able to work closely with government officials, as well as with other executives from Basketball Tasmania. I hope that Basketball Tas can use the final report, with facilities and regional statistics to help convince government officials to allocate more support to the sport of basketball in Australia. This particular internship has been an excellent fit for me because of my SDS (statistical data sciences) background. I declared my SDS minor during the fall of my sophomore year, and the coding experience gained at Smith has been invaluable during my time here in Sydney. Beyond the benefits of knowledge gained through working with Basketball Tas, working on a project such as this has been particularly rewarding considering the community impacts it will have on the basketball players of the state (around 20,000). Sports have had a significant effect on my life and being able to make sports more accessible to other people; it seems to bring things full circle. 

How did you get involved in this internship?
I was able to get in contact with Basketball Tasmania through Student-Athletes Abroad, an organization whose mission is to bring student-athletes in contact with internships outside of the United States. Student-athletes are a group who often do not get the opportunity to travel abroad because of team commitments — having the chance to be an athlete who has been able to live overseas as well as work has been truly amazing!

What has been your favorite experience so far?
My internship has allowed me to live an immersed life in Sydney. I chose to live with a host family during my time here, which has given me great insight into what it is like to live in Sydney. By far, the most exciting part of Sydney is the natural world that exists in tandem with the industrious city. The wildlife in Sydney is also spectacular, there are a wide variety of birds, and other little critters running around. Kangaroos do not disappoint; they'll be anybody's best friend as long as you bring them a snack. I made sure to take at least one hike every weekend, exploring the sites outside of the city. From Bondi to Coogee Beach, to Royal National Park, and the Blue Mountains I have yet to be disappointed with a single sight I've seen. I can say without a doubt that the best memories I have here are standing on the sea cliffs at Royal National park looking out over the ocean as the sun sets, it was breathtaking. The view made hiking back in the pitch black of the night worth it!

What are your career goals?
After I graduate from Smith, I plan on pursuing my Ph.D. in clinical psychology. I feel as though my Statistical Data Sciences minor and coding abilities can help bolster my research abilities as I begin thinking about possible future thesis topics. I haven't decided what I want to specialize in yet, but it will probably be concerning PTSD and other trauma-related disorders.

Why do you think it is beneficial for student-athletes to take advantage of internship opportunities?
I have found throughout my time in college that the experience that is the furthest out of our comfort zone are the ones that offer the most significant opportunity for growth. I chose this internship because of three primary reasons; the first is the fact that it was in another country, the second is it allowed me to work in a discipline outside of psychology, the third is that I would be allowed to work with other interns from all over the United States. I have been exposed to several different ways of thinking during my time in Australia, that I might otherwise have been exposed to by staying at home. Beyond this, working in an office-like space is an extremely different environment from the more academic setting I'm used to. By completing programs such as this one, I feel as though I will have a leg up on those who haven't had hands-on office experiences. We, as student-athletes, are endowed with a sense of self, and leadership abilities it feels truly amazing to exercise the skills athletics has given me in a real-world environment.

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