ASPSA Intern Alumni Series – Emily DeRatt (’13-’14)

Emily DeRatt is a former intern and currently serves as an Associate Director of Academic Services at Baylor University’s Student-Athlete Center for Excellence (SACE). We caught up with Emily to see what she’s been up to since she left NC State.

• Since your internship experience, what have you been up to?
  • It has been almost 4 years since my internship ended, which is crazy to think! Since the end of the internship, I have continued to work in the field of academic support at two different institutions. I have since completed PDI and presented several times at N4A.

• Who have you worked for?
  • Immediately after the internship, I moved to Philadelphia, PA and worked at Temple University as an academic advisor at the Nancy & Donald Resnick Academic Support Center for Student Athletes. I worked at Temple University for three years before moving to Waco, Texas. I currently serve as an Associate Director of Academic Services at Baylor University’s Student-Athlete Center for Excellence (SACE). I have been at Baylor for 9 months.

• What sports have you primarily work with?
  • At Temple University, I worked with Football and Women’s Gymnastics and currently at Baylor University, I work with Football and Women’s Softball.

• Any other additional responsibilities?
  • While at Temple University, in addition to serving as an academic advisor, I oversaw our study hall monitors, our technology loan program and our monthly student-athlete academic awards. Currently at Baylor University, I am the lead for our Summer Bridge and Personal Best Committees. I also serve on the SACE External Engagement Committee, the SACE Team Development Committee, the SACE Graduate Reception Committee, the Athletics Department Award Show Committee, and one of the Athletics Department Strategic Initiative Committees.

• What is your current position-roles and responsibilities?
  • I currently serve as an Associate Director of Academic Services at Baylor University’s Student-Athlete Center for Excellence (SACE). My main priorities are overseeing Football (Defense & Specialists) & Women’s Softball student-athletes throughout their academic tenures. I also serve on a number of committees in our unit and in the athletics department doing a lot of different administrative things from planning our end of year awards show to planning our inaugural summer bridge program.

• What was one valuable thing you learned at this internship that you brought to your next institution?
  • I think one of the most valuable things I learned from my time at NC State is the importance of building relationships. From relationships with students, co-workers, administration, coaches, campus advisors, etc., our jobs would not be doable without them. I also would not be where I am without these relationships. I was in a unique situation not that long ago; a situation that does not happen frequently in academics. I received a phone call regarding an opening here at Baylor University because of my relationship with the football coaching staff as they had just transitioned from Temple to Baylor. Although there were other factors in my final decision to come to Baylor, I was given the initial opportunity based on relationships I had formed at Temple University starting four years ago.

• What are some of the biggest lessons you’ve learned since leaving NC State?
  • This is a hard question! I have learned so much in the last four years; it is difficult to pick out the “biggest” lessons. The first one that came to my mind is below! Take time for yourself! This is sometimes impossible in college athletics but it is important. I hate the term “work-life” balance because this type of work is such a big part of our lives, the term makes it seem as if they are independent of each other, which for me, they are not. However, taking “me” time is necessary and important. Without “me” time, I am not the best version of myself and therefore am not the best for my students. Most of my “me” time comes in the form exercise and hanging out with friends and family. I try to take at least an hour for myself daily and go to yoga, barre, spin or for a run. I also make sure to get home to NC as much as I can! I thought being 6 hours away in Philly was far, but now I am 20+ hours away from home!

• Can you talk about your job search post internship?
  • The job search is very stressful! I was the last intern in my class to get a job, which added stress to the process. I would just say trust the process and make sure you are interviewing the school/staff just as much as they are interviewing you. Your first job post internship will be a big transition in a lot of ways so it is very important to make sure it is a good fit!

• Advice for the job search?
  • It will work out!! There were several jobs that I really wanted and did not get during the process and it was very difficult to understand why. Looking back now, it is very easy to understand. Temple University was an amazing first stop for me. I loved the students, the people, the work, the city and the university as a whole. As hard as it was to make a decision to leave Temple, I do feel like Baylor is where I’m supposed to be now and as I mentioned before, I would not be here at Baylor had I not started my career at Temple and built those relationships. As cliché as it sounds and as hard as it is to hear during a job search, everything happens for a reason and it will work out how it is supposed to!