As part of our blog this week, we’re going to display content showcasing the backgrounds, passions, and aspirations of all three of the students interning with us this summer. The content, which contains a Q & A with each one of them, is an excellent way for our readers to get to know them a little bit more. Next up, from Indiana University, we have Ashley Nolley:
Personal
- Where were you born?
- Peoria, Illinois
- Who had the greatest influence on you during your childhood?
- My dad. He was always laid back and encouraging when it came to my running career from ages 4-18. He’s the coolest guy around.
- As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
- I had a variety of aspiring dream jobs. My first dream job (I was probably 6) was a kindergarten teacher (because you didn’t have to know how to read). After that dream passed, I wanted to be an athletic trainer, then a physical therapist, and now I’m into sport marketing and management. I’ve always been interested in sports and being active and healthy.
- Where did you attend high school? Did you play sports or participate in any extracurricular activities? If so, what did you do?
- Shelbyville High School; I participated in Cross-Country, Swimming, Track & Field, Latin Club, NCAA Student Ambassadors, Student Mentoring, and Student Council.
- Where are you attending college? What are you majoring in (Associates, Bachelor’s, etc.)? Are you a part of any groups or clubs at all?
- Indiana University—Sport Marketing and Management
- Manager of the Cross-Country and Track & Field teams
- What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
- I enjoy hanging out with my dog, Netflix binging, reading, hiking, swimming, and being outside in general.
- What might someone be surprised to know about you?
- Half of any conversation with me usually involves me responding to you with a movie quote or music lyric.
- I don’t eat red meat or pork. I do, however, eat birds and sea creatures.
- I always have room for ice cream… always.
- Who is your role model in life and why?
- I’m going to be pretty basic here and answer with Taylor Swift. Why? Because she is basically an angel on earth. What other celebrity invites fans to her house to hang out with them? Or sends them Christmas and Valentine’s Day packages? Or who’s meet and greets are completely free? Or tracks down a fan from Tumblr who is also at the Grammy’s just to meet her? Or who is single-handedly changing the music industry? And she does all this (And more!) while looking perfect 100% of the time. *takes deep breath*
- If you could have dinner with five famous people from history, who would they be?
- Laura Ingalls Wilder
- Robin Williams
- Cleopatra
- Audrey Hepburn
- John F. Kennedy
- What other jobs have you held throughout your life?
- Worked as a cashier at a locally owned grocery store
- Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurt
- Alpha Timing
- Z-Shirts
- What is your future plans after you graduate from college?
- I would really like to travel as much as possible and have a job that allows me to travel and pay off student loans at the same time.
Nine13sports
- What interested you to intern at Nine13sports?
- I love the idea of getting kids active and healthy by doing something other than signing them up for football, basketball, or soccer. I was always on my bike as a kid; the neighborhood kids and I had our own little crew we called “The Clearview Ryderz” and we would bike all over Shelbyville. Biking is a low-impact activity that burns a ton of calories without a kid realizing it.
- What has surprised you most about working with Nine13sports?
- The most surprising part was how much fun the kids have with the bikes. There are all kinds of kids with all different backgrounds, but all of these kids can ride our bikes and they love how much it hurts their legs. It’s fantastic.
- What do you enjoy most about being an intern at Nine13sports?
- The best part is the people I get to work with. It’s always a good time with the Nine13 crew.
- What do you enjoy the most about working with kids?
- Kids are so funny! They really do say the darndest things, and they believe almost anything you tell them. The other day at a program, I had Tom’s crutch and a little girl asked me what I did to my leg to need a crutch. I told her that I broke my leg running away from a velociraptor. Her eyes got really big and she just accepted my answer. It was great!
- What’s been your favorite moment/experience/event while interning with Nine13sports?
Ashley had the opportunity to meet racing driver, Tony Kanaan, at the IPS Field Day in May.
- My favorite experiences so far have been when we’ve been at a program site for a few weeks and we get to know the kids names and their personalities. They really love when we come in once they get to know us and I love hanging out with them.
- Tell me about some of the people you’ve met while working with Nine13sports.
- Some of the people we have had the chance to meet so far include Tony Kannaan, Charlie Kimball, Takuma Sato, and Marlin Jackson. It’s been pretty surreal and incredible.
- What on the job skills/abilities have you acquired or improved upon while interning with Nine13sports?
- I feel like this internship has really helped me learn more about non-profits and everything they need in order to make improvements to their organization and achieve their goals. It’s a lot more work than people would probably realize.