Length and Format: This report shall be a minimum of 12 pages but can be as long as
necessary to communicate the required information. Times or Times Roman font size 12 pt. with
one-inch margins should be utilized. Students should feel free to include charts, examples of
work they created or worked on during the internship and supporting material that may be
provided in an attached appendix.
Place and Date of Submission: A copy of the final report should be submitted on Blackboard
to the professor within one week of the end of your internship. This will give you space to
decompress and reflect.
Revisions of Final Report: If a report is deemed unsatisfactory for any reason, it will be
returned to the respective intern for revisions and modifications. Presentation and factualness of
data, spelling, and grammar will be reviewed carefully and may result in required revisions. This
report should be treated as a business report which will be evaluated and will be available for
community review by faculty, staff, and students.
STRUCTURE OF FINAL CULMINATING REPORT
The final report should be structured to include the following sections and subsections.
SECTION I: THE ORGANIZATION
A. Overview of Host Organization or Employer: Briefly describe the type of organization
in which you work or intern and where/how it fits into the sport industry (e.g., local,
regional, national, or international). Please include its primary constituencies and the
primary nature of its operations (i.e., goods or services). Briefly describe the major
purposes of the organization including its mission, goals, and strategic objectives. Please
include any relevant promotional brochures and any other pertinent information that
describes the work of the host organization). These data might include any strategic
documents such as an annual report and/or strategic management plans.
B. Structure and Personnel of Host Organization or Employer: Briefly describe the
organizational structure and its effectiveness with regard to management philosophies,
leadership, and management styles, and its relationships with its principle governance
structures and alliances (e.g., league, governing body, federation, professional
association, granting authority/agency, etc.). Please include an organizational chart.
Also, please include as part of your analysis, how and who within your organization
evaluates personnel. How are people hired, fired, and promoted? What are the ranges of
salaries for full-time employees within this organization (if available)? What are some
typical lifestyle issues that employees and managers in this organization face (e.g., travel,
commute to work, stress, extended hours, difficult physical working environment, etc.).
C. Budget and Financial Aspects of Host Organization or Employer: Identity as
specifically as possible, the tax status of your organization (profit v. non-profit) including
its federal tax-filing category (i.e., a 501 (c) 3 or S corporation). Briefly describe the
reasons why this organization has its specific tax designations including the benefits and liabilities of such designations. What are the major sources of annual revenue for your
organization and what are its corresponding major categories of expenditures? What
limits or restrictions might be levied on this organization with regard to revenue
development including fundraising? Please provide approximate percentages of the
sources and categories of revenues and expenditures per year. Briefly describe the
current and future growth projections of this organization with respect to its size and
profitability/ revenue. If detailed financial data is not available, please submit a pro
forma budget analysis.
D. Legal Issues Faced by Host Organization or Employer: Please describe the primary
types of legal issues faced by this organization including who provides the legal services
for this organization and what type of insurance is necessary to limit the risks involved in
the primary activities of the organization. What are some examples of legal issues that
this organization (specifically) and its segment of the industry has or is currently facing.
Please describe your organization’s risk management plan including any specific
procedures that are designed to mitigate these legal risks/issues.
E. Ethical and Social Justice Issues Facing Host Organization or Employer: Please
describe the critical ethical and social justice issues faced by this organization including
some examples of ethical issues that this organization (specifically) and its segment of
the industry has or is currently facing. Please describe what policies and procedures are
in places that are designed to mitigate these ethical concerns and how effective they have
been. Who is responsible for affecting these policies? Ethical concerns might include
issues of discrimination, sexual harassment, environmental hazards, cheating or
disregarding professional standards, and alcohol/substance abuse.
F. Use of Communication/Information Technology by Host Organization: Please
describe the primary modes of communication and information technology utilized in this
organization. Include in your analysis the type and nature of use of the various
technologies employed by this organization and its effectiveness in linking staff, key
constituents, and significant stakeholders that the organization must communicate with.
For example, what types of telecommunication devices are used by staff outside the
office (e.g., cell phones, pagers, laptop computers with modems, palm pilots, etc.)? What
are the primary types of computer hardware and software used by your host organization?
Does your organization rely heavily on e-mail? Does your organization have a Web site
and are they involved in e-commerce?
G. Marketing and Promotional Strategies of Host Organization: Please describe how
(i.e., staffing and operations) and to what extent this organization markets and promotes
itself? What are the organization’s target markets/key constituencies? What specific
strategies and resources does your host organization utilize in its marketing and
promotions efforts? How sophisticated are its approaches to key audiences (i.e.,
customers, members, etc.)? In what ways were you involved in this outreach? What
would you recommend to improve its marketing and promotions efforts?
SECTION II: YOUR PERSONAL INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCE:
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Please detail your duties and responsibilities by being as specific as you can. Describe
the most significant areas of knowledge and/or skills that you feel you acquired or
expanded during this culminating experience. What were the most positive features of
your internship experience? Describe your relations with the staff at this organization
including other employers including interns. How would you characterize this
organization’s human resource approach to its employees? What were the limitations of
your internship experience? In what ways did you meet your learning objectives?
Would you recommend this organization to a graduate from SUNY Cortland? Why or
why not?
SECTION III: THE FUTURE
Please describe your career plans for current or future employment including a summary
of the type of jobs and career outlook in your chosen industry segment. How do you feel
this experience will/has be an asset to you in obtaining employment and or a promotion
in this organization, in the sport industry or related industry? What suggestions do you
have for future graduate students seeking employment in a sport management position in
the industry segment you are interested in? What strategies or ideas do you have for the
future direction of the academic aspect of the graduate sport management program at
SUNY Cortland (i.e., types of courses, style/type of instruction, practicums, culminating
