Student Employment
If you are a student at Western Kentucky University and looking to make a career in the sports industry, you can easily get started by gaining valuable experience in the WKU Athletics Department.
Open positions for 2025-26Â include:
- Athletics Marketing and Promotions Internship
- Athletic Communications/Media Relations Assistants
- HAF Development Assistant (PAID)
- Athletics Graphic Design Internship
- Athletics Student Photograhers
Marketing and Promotions Interns
The WKU Athletics Marketing department is seeking Marketing and Promotions Interns for the 2025-26 season! This is an unpaid position.
Responsibilities
Duties include but are not limited to:​​​​​​
- Assist the WKU Athletic Marketing staff in the development, coordination, and implementation of marketing and promotional efforts
- Attend scheduled weekly/bi-weekly intern staff meetings and optional intern development events.
- Develop full scale marketing plans for sports as needed
- Assist with managing public address announcers, coordinating music, video board elements, cheer squad, pep band, and other marketing needs to direct the flow of games, events and promotions as needed.
- Work special events, such as Fan Days and Hilltopper Hysteria.
- Fulfill sponsored elements such as PA announcements, promotions, and events
- Improve the atmosphere at each event through the use of games, giveaways, contests, trivia and music, etc.
Promote athletic events and communicate promotions within the campus community - Distribute posters and schedule cards to assigned locations, and check for refills on a bi-weekly basis.
- Opportunities to join the summer street team and various project teams throughout the year.
Minimum Requirements
- Genuine interest in athletics and the sport industry
- Ability to manage time commitment and dedicated office and event hours
- Willing and available to work long hours, weekends, nights & some holidays
- Full-time WKU student (not applicable for summer interns)
- Excellent oral communication skills, written communication skills, and customer service skills
- Strong work ethic and a willingness to learn
- Ability to multi-task, stay organized, keep up with high-energy, fast paced environment
- Working knowledge of Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
BENEFITS
- WKU Nike gear
- Networking opportunities and interaction with department staff members
- An opportunity to earn class credit (highly encouraged, if applicable)
- Hands-on experience working in collegiate athletic marketing
- Workforce preparation training, including resume review and mock interviews
To apply, visit wkusports.com/AthleticsMarketingInternship
Athletic Communications/Media Relations Assistants
Position
The Western Kentucky University Athletic Communications/Media Relations Department is accepting highly motivated and creative individuals to serve the 2025-26 school year as student assistants, and become members of the Hilltopper Communications staff.
Department
The Western Kentucky University Athletic Communications/Media Relations Department promotes and publicizes WKU's 16 intercollegiate sports programs to raise awareness, increase attendance and ticket sales to each athletic event. The media relations office is the liaison between the coaches and student-athletes and the outside public, including the media. The office runs the in-game statistical software and all post-event media needs, in addition to managing all editorial content on WKUSports.com. The department also is responsible for being the historical archives of the athletic department.
WKU Athletic Media Relations has had a high success rate with job placement of students who have come through the office. In the last several years, students from the WKU Athletic Media Relations office have gone on to earn entry level jobs at WKU, Virginia Tech, Syracuse, Georgia State, SIU-Edwardsville, Creighton, Belmont, Towson, Lindsey Wilson, Northern Colorado and Campbellsville.
Responsibilities
Duties include but are not limited to:
- Assisting with the writing of press releases and organizing press coverage of WKU's varsity sport teams
- Generating and maintaining content on WKUSports.com, the official athletics site of Western Kentucky University
- Serving as secondary contacts for WKU's varsity sport teams
- Attending office hours and home sporting events for assigned teams, including all home football games
- Performing other duties as assigned
Minimum Requirements
Must be a current WKU undergraduate student, preferably pursuing a bachelor degree in sports administration, journalism, public relations or a related field but not required. Must possess strong interpersonal, organizational, and communication skills. Candidates must be team-oriented. Must be able to work a minimum of 10 hours a week, including assigned office hours and events. Must be available on the weekends - including every home football game in the fall.
Benefits
As a member of the Media Relations Department, one will establish a foundation for a career in public relations, increase his/her knowledge of the of different collegiate sports, and gain hands-on experience in the sports industry. You will also gain valuable writing, design, and public relations experience and how it relates to the sports industry. (Opportunities may also be available to attain college credit).
Contact
Interested candidates may email resumes to Lillie-Anne Mulligan, Associate Director of Athletic Communications, at jordan.mulligan@wku.edu.
Hilltopper Athletic Foundation Development Assistant
Position
Position is expected to work all home football games and most men's basketball/women's basketball home games.
Pay rate: $8.00/hour
Hours per week:Â 20 (approx.)
Required skills:
 Excellent customer service skills, practice safe cash handling, appropriate phone etiquette.
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The following duties are customary for this position, but are not to be construed as all-inclusive. Duties may be added, deleted, and assigned based on management discretion and institutional needs.
- General office duties, answer daily phone calls, greet and assist donors who visit our office, separate mail
- Assist with game day operations on football/basketball home games
- In conjunction with the Assistant Director, help in managing the HAF Corvette Raffle. This includes sponsorship, gift processing, scheduling, and group sales
- Assist in priority seat sales for WKU Football and Men’s Basketball games, including Harbaugh tickets
- Assist in the upkeep of donor databases
- Assist in managing the HAF website and social media
- Coordinate new member and renewal acknowledgments
- Aid in data entry for the Corvette Raffle and other daily data
- Transport of gifts to the Foundation
- Other duties as assigned
Must apply through "Handshake" via student employment website.
Position
The Western Kentucky University Athletic Communications/Media Relations Department is accepting highly motivated and creative individuals to serve the 2025-26 school year as graphic designers, and become members of the Hilltopper Communications staff.
Department
The Western Kentucky University Athletic Communications/Media Relations Department promotes and publicizes WKU's 16 intercollegiate sports programs to raise awareness, increase attendance and ticket sales to each athletic event. The media relations office is the liaison between the coaches and student-athletes and the outside public, including the media. The office runs the in-game statistical software and all post-event media needs, in addition to managing all editorial content on WKUSports.com. The department also is responsible for being the historical archives of the athletic department.
Responsibilities
Duties include but are not limited to:
- Designing graphics in-line with the established WKU Athletics brand identity intended for social media, promotional purposes, print materials and much moreÂ
Minimum Requirements
Must be a current WKU undergraduate student, preferably pursuing a bachelor degree in graphic design or other related areas, but not required. Must be able to work a minimum of four hours a week.
Benefits
As a student graphic designer, individuals will be able to build an impressive portfolio through the close access given to the position. Individuals will also be given crucial experience in the graphic design career field, helping to build a strong resume for future job opportunities. Individuals will work side-by-side with other graphic designers, receiving real-time feedback.Â
Contact
Interested candidates may email portfolios to Seth-Patrick Holman, Director of Creative Services/Brand Advancement, at seth-patrick.holman@wku.edu.
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Athletics Student PhotographerÂ
Position
The Western Kentucky University Athletic Communications/Media Relations Department is accepting highly motivated and creative individuals to serve the 2025-26 school year as student photographers, and become members of the Hilltopper Communications staff.
Department
The Western Kentucky University Athletic Communications/Media Relations Department promotes and publicizes WKU's 16 intercollegiate sports programs to raise awareness, increase attendance and ticket sales to each athletic event. The media relations office is the liaison between the coaches and student-athletes and the outside public, including the media. The office runs the in-game statistical software and all post-event media needs, in addition to managing all editorial content on WKUSports.com. The department also is responsible for being the historical archives of the athletic department.
Responsibilities
Duties include but are not limited to:
- Photography at athletic events, photo shoots, community events and much more
- Editing photos
- Digitally archiving all photos takenÂ
Minimum Requirements
Must be a current WKU undergraduate student, preferably pursuing a bachelor degree in photojournalism or other related areas, but not required. Camera and appropriate equipment required.Â
Benefits
As a student photographer, individuals will be able to build an impressive photo portfolio through the close access given to the position. Individuals will also be given crucial experience in the sports photography career field, helping to build a strong resume for future job opportunities. Individuals will work side-by-side with other photographers, receiving real-time feedback.Â
Contact
Interested candidates may email portfolios to Lillie-Anne Mulligan, Associate Director of Athletic Communications, at jordan.mulligan@wku.edu.
