Georgia State Games

2011 Interns

	I am Joanna Fazio, also known as Jo “without an 'e',” and I am from Snellville, Georgia, “Where everybody's somebody.” Currently, I am majoring in Recreation & Leisure Studies at the University of Georgia. My passion of sports, athleticism, and planning ties in seamlessly to my major, dealing with event planning on a professional platform. My favorite sports are pole-vaulting, volleyball, ultimate frisbee, running, and snow boarding, but I’m up for about anything. It will be sky diving and bungee jumping in the future, of course! My competitiveness and addiction to learning always make me question the unquestionable and act spontaneously. I wonder why kamikaze pilots wear helmets, and why doctors leave the room while you change even though they're going to see you naked anyway. In my free time, I create collages out of old magazines for fun and for friends’ gifts. Right now I have hundreds of decoupaged, colorful, crafty artifacts ranging from picture frames to shelves and vases decorating my distinctive room. Not only do I have an artistic touch, but I also am confident and willing to work hard to reach my goals! I'm excited to be working for the Georgia Games this summer to pursue my interests in Sports Event Planning. I plan to learn, to grow, and to develop skills that will help me accomplish my future dream of working on the Olympic Planning Committee.
	I was born in Kennesaw, GA and moved to Sparta, NJ three years ago. I go to York College, PA and plan to graduate next year with a degree in Sports Management. My minor is Business Administration and I have a concentration in Athletic Administration. At school, I work at the bookstore and I am also a member of the York College track team. I am the event director for lacrosse, olympic weight lifting and disc golf. I also serve as a committee member for cycling and boxing. I aspire to become an athletic director some day after attending Graduate school. My hardworking and persistent attitude has made me a very effective member to the Georgia Games team. I look forward to seeing where this internship will lead me. You can contact me at Sgoldbe2@ycp.edu.
	My name is Maureen Higgins but most people call me Mo. I go to school at the University of Missouri- Columbia and I am studying Hotel and Restaurant Management- Event Planning Track. I grew up in St. Louis, Missouri I am a huge Cardinals fan. At the Georgia Games I am the event coordinator for Diving, Shot Gun, Power Lifting and Power Soccer. My goal is to work game operations in a university setting or at a professional stadium.
	I am a 28 year old Sports and Entertainment Management Major at the University of South Carolina. From 2001-2009 served in the United States Marine Corps and achieved the rank of Staff Sergeant. During service to our country, I deployed to Iraq, South Korea and Japan. Personally, I enjoy traveling and attending sporting and live entertainment events. I am an avid sports fan and favorite sports teams include the Carolina Panthers, Atlanta Braves and Carolina Hurricanes. Professionally, my career goal is to become a General Manager for a Professional Baseball Team.
	My name is Chris McGrail. I’m originally from Skowhegan, Maine and I attend Husson University for Sport Management, which is located in Bangor, Maine. I will be graduating this coming December with my bachelors degree. I hope to pursue a career in event management or game operations for a professional or collegiate sports team. My true passion is sports, which is what brought me to the Georgia Games. This experience working in the Olympic-style of sport as an event coordinator will open up new doors as my life unfolds and I’m fully confident that the knowledge gained here in Georgia will get me that much closer to my professional goals.
	I am 22 years old and I am from Bloomington IN. I am a senior at Indiana University, majoring in Tourism Mgt, with minors in Eco Tourism and Hospitality Administration. I am in charge of all Cycling events for the Georgia Games. Aside from that I really enjoy doing outdoor activities. I am an Eagle Scout and I made the Indiana Academic All-State Team for ice hockey. After this internship I will seek a management level career in a major tourism related organization, such as the Olympics or the Walt Disney Corporation.
	My name is Leslee, I am 22 years old hailing from Maplewood, NJ, and currently pursuing a Masters in Sports Administration at Georgia State University. My background includes equipment managing for football in both undergrad and currently in grad school, working in student athlete development, and Athletic facility, event and game day operations. I aspire to work as a Director of Events for a sports organization, either professional or on a collegiate level, where I can help in the planning and administration of large sporting events. My ultimate goal is to one day serve on a Superbowl Planning Committee. With the Georgia Games I will be assisting on the committees for each event with hopes of developing skill, and acquiring knowledge that can benefit my success and growth in any of my future endeavors.
	I am 23 years old and from Peachtree City, Georgia. I have just currently finished my last year at Georgia Southern University, and upon completion of this internship, I will receive a Bachelor of Science in Sports Management degree. At the Georgia Games, I am in charge of marketing for all the sports on the south side of Atlanta. I am also on the track and field, swimming, baseball, and run for life committees. Aside from the Georgia Games, I really enjoy sports of all kinds, but mostly soccer, basketball, and golf; all three of which I played while in high school. After completing this internship, I plan to work in marketing for a few years with any sports organization then pursue a contract law degree to fulfill my ultimate goal of working in client management/ representation.
	I am 21 years old and just finished my junior year at Wayne State College, in Wayne, Nebraska. My father is in the Military so I have lived on Military bases over-seas my whole life. I was born in Yokosuka, Japan but now live in Osan, South Korea when I am not attending college in Nebraska. I am majoring in Graphic Design with a minor in Journalism. I am the only graphic design intern at Georgia Games and as such, I am in charge of the web page, photography and general graphic design tasks. When I was little, I played almost any youth sport I could, later playing just tennis and softball in high school and rugby in college. I love playing and watching almost every sport, but ultimately, I am a die-hard Penguins and Steelers fan. I have been in love with sports since I was a little girl and that has driven my future aspirations greatly and what drew me towards applying for the Georgia Games. My dream job is to be a graphic designer for ESPN, and I am planning to apply for an internship with them next summer. Ultimately, I would be happy for being a graphic designer for anything sports related like an NFL, MLB or NHL team. I hope to next year either be in Graduate school or on my way to landing my dream job.
	My name is Jared Thompson. I am currently finishing up my degree in Recreation, Sport and Tourism from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. My love for sports and the opportunity to gain experience in an Olympic-style setting are what brought me to the Georgia Games. I am the Event Coordinator for the Georgia Games Youth Baseball, Racquetball and BMX Tournaments. My goal is to work in sports marketing at the professional or collegiate level. I’m confident that my experiences here at the Georgia Games will be a great stepping stone to achieving my professional goals.
	My name is Jacqueline Wealleans but I prefer to go by Jackie. I’m 21 years old and from Toronto, Canada. I am currently entering into my last year at Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario, where I am studying for a Honors Bachelor of Commerce in Sports Administration. At The Georgia Games I am in charge of our Boxing Championship and I’m on the Lacrosse and Cycling committees. My future goal is to get into the marketing and event management side of the sports world.