The best endorsement of an internship isn’t what an intern says about it, it’s choosing to come back for a second year. For M’Kaylah Jackson, returning to the AJGA was an easy choice.
Jackson, a rising senior at the University of Georgia, came back for a second consecutive summer at headquarters. After spending the summer of 2025 in a data-focused role, she returned in 2026 as an in-house communications intern, bringing with her a deeper understanding of the organization and a continued appreciation for the people who make it special.
Growing up in Flowery Branch, Georgia, sports have always been a part of her life. Living just minutes away from the Falcons complex, she has memories from when she was a little girl of attending countless training camps and Falcons events. Today, she carries this same passion for sports into her college career as a sport management student at UGA, where she also cheers on the Bulldogs as a member of the university’s coed cheerleading team.
Jackson first discovered the AJGA internship through a UGA sport management listserv. Looking for an opportunity close to home so she could spend the summer with her younger siblings, she was immediately drawn to the organization and its mission.
After initially applying for a Player Services role, her path took an unexpected turn to a new AJGA role she never expected: Data Entry Verification Archival intern. The position involved reviewing historical tournament records, verifying player information and digitizing decades of AJGA history through photo scanning and data preservation projects.
What began as an opportunity she never anticipated quickly became one of the most memorable summers.
“I left and told them, This was the best summer ever. I love the people.”
So, when the opportunity arose for her to return for a second summer as a communications intern, the decision was not difficult for her.
“’Wait, I love this place. Why wouldn’t I?’ was honestly my first thought,” Jackson said.
This year, she stepped into a more public-facing role, helping with communications initiatives and content creation.
“It’s different, but it’s also very familiar,” Jackson said. “I worked on the back end of a lot of it before, so I already knew a lot of the processes from hearing everyone’s experiences. Now I’m getting to actually do them.”
More than work itself, it’s the people who inspired Jackson to return.
“The people, that’s probably the thing that drew me back. There’s just a lot of people in this building that have so many different stories and different paths how they got here. And they all want to go do different things after this too. So, being able to have them in one spot is really special.”
Beyond the technical skills she has gained during her two summers, Jackson says her time at the AJGA taught her the importance of building relationships with the people around her.
“More than just doing your job, get to know the people. You can learn the skills, that’s not the problem. They can teach you those. But the people, that’s what really matters and what you’re going to learn from their stories and experiences is what really matters.”
Now, Jackson is back at UGA cheering on the Bulldogs from the sideline one last time with plans to graduate in December and pursue a master’s in sport management in the spring. She hopes to explore opportunities in marketing after college, both within and beyond the sports industry.
For students considering the AJGA internship, Jackson’s advice is simple:
“Do it,” she said. “You’re going to get so much more than just an internship on a resume.”
If interested, 2027 In-House internship applications open November 9th. Follow along with AJGA Careers
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