Born and raised in the Philippines, Ikeesha Aquino, ’24, grew up playing soccer in high school and college. In her junior year of college, she started coaching soccer at Aspire Football Academy. Coaching and impacting youth through the sport of soccer ignited Aqunio’s passion for working in the sports industry. After graduating from the University of the Philippines in 2018, Aquino would spend the next five years working for Aspire Football Academy. “I dedicated myself to Aspire, diving into various roles, including social media management, marketing, branding, and securing sponsorships and partnerships. This diverse experience gave me a comprehensive understanding of the sports industry and confirmed my passion for working in this field.”
Through her time at Aspire Football Academy, Aquino knew she wanted to turn her passion into a profession. “I chose the USF Sport Management program because I was inclined to be able to learn through different experiences. I saw how the program prioritized each student’s growth while ensuring each student is supported in their goals.” After taking a few courses, Aquino discovered an itch to gain experience in sports outside of soccer. After moving to the US to start her Master’s degree, Aquino was selected for the Pat Gallagher Fellowship, an exclusive 10-month internship with the San Francisco Giants in August 2023. Through the Gallagher Fellowship, named after the longtime San Francisco Giants Front Office Executive and member of the USF Sport Management Advisory Board, Aquino has been able to apply a hands-on learning approach to propel her career in the sports industry forward.
In her role, Aquino rotated between multiple business departments, shadowing key Giants executives and playing a role in executing different projects. At the conclusion of the fellowship, Aquino was given the opportunity to lead one of the Giant’s most anticipated, special, and first-of-its-kind events: Skate Day, celebrating the rich history of skateboarding culture in San Francisco, featuring professional skaters on a half-pipe floating in McCovey Cove. Playing into the Giants slogan of “Nothing Like It,” the skate activation coming to life was one of the most rewarding parts of the fellowship.
Aquino co-led the event, working with three departments; Special Events, Ballpark Operations, and Partnerships, making sure all things were confirmed from the skate ramp on the barge to talent, DJs, and skaters, she communicated all necessary details to various departments. Leading and executing this specific event helped Aquino discover a lot about herself and truly show her what she is capable of achieving on a larger scale.
The Pat Gallagher fellowship provided Aquino with an unparalleled opportunity to learn, grow, and apply classroom learning in the workplace. “As someone who started the program unsure what I wanted to pursue, this was a great opportunity to know what I would enjoy and wouldn’t enjoy as much.” Experiencing both in-season and off-season events, working with multiple departments, and understanding how each impacted the organization, gave her insight into her own professional career aspirations in the sports industry. Aquino is set to graduate this December and remains an Intern for the Special Events and Promotions department for the 2023-2024 season.