On some days, he grabs a Philly Cheesesteak with Philadelphia Phillies players Ryan Howard and Chase Utley and on other days, he’s on the field with children aged 8 - 14, interacting with kids and professional players. And sometimes, he’s in the office doing paperwork. This is just a peek into Ian Leeker’s life as an Major League Baseball intern in Sydney.
“I have met, done work for and seen some of the biggest superstars to ever play the game,” Leeker said. “These are the guys that I grew up admiring, so the fact that I deal with or see them on an everyday basis is pretty amazing.”
Leeker, a junior marketing major with a communications minor, is currently interning at the MLB’s international office, where his duties include promoting the sport and also working with the Australian Baseball League. But this isn’t Leeker’s first time interning with MLB. His first internship was last summer in the New York office.
“I first heard about the Sydney internship this summer when I was an intern at MLB in New York City,” Leeker said. “I was approached by a couple of people in the international office to see if I would be interested. As they outlined the program, I realized it was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. This specific internship was a real opportunity to apply both (my major and minor) in a field that has always interested me.”
In New York, Leeker worked in the international office where his main duties included helping to promote baseball in Europe and South America. The tasks were hands-on and he created different marketing plans and packages for the company, he said. But he said in Australia, these same tasks can sometimes be difficult because baseball is fairly new to the country.
“The Australia opportunity was a little different because baseball is really just surfacing in the area,” Leeker said. “Plus, we are competing against another ball and bat sport, cricket.”
He’s assisted with the Australian baseball venue future development project, whose goal is to have an MLB Opening Day Series in Australia and the MLB Ambassador Tour, where players visit different countries and promote the sport.
Paul Archey, senior vice president of the international division, originally coached Leeker in Little League. Archey said the Australia internship fit seamlessly for Leeker since the pair had worked together in New York prior to Leeker leaving for Australia.
“It’s pretty competitive and Ian’s the kind of person who adapts to the environment very well,” Archey said. “He’s very personable. Internships by nature don’t last and you don’t need someone who takes a month to adjust. He’s really a good fit for us.”
The internship allows Leeker to apply what he’s learned in class to real-word experiences, but these experiences aren’t always the same, Leeker said. A challenge he faces regularly is the learning curve of a new corporation.
“I needed to ensure that I fully understood the business model before I could make a contribution,” Leeker said.
But he also said he realizes internships like this don’t come often and when the opportunity does arise, students should distinguish themselves by asking questions and doing whatever it takes to make a difference.
Jim Donathan, associate director of Academic Advising, met with Leeker before his departure and spoke of the Leeker’s enthusiasm. Donathan said he wishes other students sought out international internships.
“He (Leeker) has a wide range of interests, although athletics and sports in general have been his main interest,” Donathan said. “He wants and needs a business background and that’s how he got the internship. I wish him well and that he’s successful, so that other students will seek out these kinds of internships instead of the standard ones"