Eye on the Ball Washington Term, study abroad opportunities and internships—including one with the Philadelphia Eagles—have helped to shape Jason Renner's plans for the future.

Jason Renner ’19 is currently interning with the Philadelphia Eagles as he looks forward to post-graduate plans in the world of sports.

“With the numerous career services that are offered at W&L, and the personal connections you have with professors and faculty, I have been prepared to succeed in the professional world.”

~ Jason Renner ’19

Hometown: Coopersburg, Pennsylvania
Major: Politics, American Government
Minor: Film Studies

What factors led you to choose W&L and your major?

I chose W&L mostly because I was looking to play collegiate tennis at an academically rigorous school. I stumbled upon W&L, and after learning more about it and taking a visit to Lexington, I knew I wanted to spend my next four years at this campus. I chose politics because at the time I had a great interest in government and public policy. I was impressed with the faculty and the program and felt the major really fit me.

You spent two summers interning at consulting groups. Did they reaffirm your future career goals or cause you to rethink the path you want to take?

Spending the two summers with lobbying firms was incredibly enriching. I learned a lot about advocacy efforts in health care, finance, telecommunications and technology. I was able to sit in on multiple Fortune 500 company lobbying team meetings, and learned how to politically strategize at a federal level. While this was all interesting and valuable, it did make me realize that I wanted to pursue a different career path, in sports.

How was your Washington Term experience? Did it help you shape your career or academic goals?

My Washington Term experience was spent interning with W&L alumni John McManus ’91 at his lobbying firm. Taught by Professor Bill Connelly, the course was rigorous and gave us all a deep look at Washington politics. It gave me an introduction to working in the nation’s capitol, which helped set me up for future opportunities.

How was your study abroad experience? How and why did you choose your program and destination?

I really enjoyed my study abroad experience in Shanghai, China. I chose to go there because I wanted to go to a country with a rich political history and in a continent I might not visit again. Living in China really put me out of my comfort zone, but I grew a lot personally in my time there.

How did W&L help you for your internship and study abroad experience?

W&L has really helped me professionally. With the numerous career services that are offered at W&L, and the personal connections you have with professors and faculty, I have been prepared to succeed in the professional world.

Renner holds the Vince Lombardi Trophy at Philadelphia Eagles headquarters.

You are currently interning with the Philadelphia Eagles. Tell us more about it. Is this opportunity related to your W&L academic experience?

Because I was ahead on my major at school, I decided to intern for the Fall Term of my senior year. Over the past year I have made the decision to transition my career and have decided to pursue a career in sports rather than politics. I believed that interning within the industry would be valuable for me to both evaluate my fit in the industry as well as acquire experience before I apply to graduate school for a sports-related degree. My time with the Eagles has been spent in the Ticket and Fan Services Department. It’s helped teach me about the role ticket operations and guest services play within a major professional organization.

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