No one likes to hear the crack of a homerun or the swish of a three-point basket more than Mark Kraemer, a senior from Imperial, Mo.
This past summer, Mark completed a 12-week internship with Rawlings Sporting Goods, one of the leading manufacturers in baseball, basketball, softball and football products. During this internship, Mark had the opportunity to not only become familiar with the production of various sporting equipment, but also he had a chance to rub elbows with the president and several vice presidents of the company. As a result, Mark had the opportunity to get to know these individuals on a professional and personal level, hopefully opening the doors to future employment after graduation.
Mark’s internship was just one of the many beneficial experiences he will take away from Southeast after he graduates with a bachelor of science degree in sport management and minor in business administration.
“My time at Southeast has prepared me for the future,” Marks says. “I am confident the education I received from Southeast will help me succeed in my career.”
Mark believes his internship through Southeast really allowed him to apply all the essential lessons learned in the classroom.
In an effort to remain involved, Mark took the initiative to enhance his experience by helping the Department of Health Human Performance and Recreation create the Sport Management Society, an organization developed to further the success of sport management majors. His love for soccer also motivated him to establish the Men’s Soccer Club.
Thanks to Mark’s help, men who are passionate about soccer are now able to competitively play other universities in games and tournaments.
Sports are just one of Mark’s loves in life. Besides taking part in intramurals, Mark also enjoys hanging out with his fraternity brothers from Phi Delta Theta and attending the events Greek Life offers for Southeast students. He also has enjoyed participating in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program at Jefferson Elementary in Cape Girardeau. Watching the children confront life without worries or problems helps keep things in perspective for Mark.
“You can learn a lot about kids, especially how to stay happy by focusing on positive issues instead of dwelling on problems,” Mark explains. “Children rarely have major worries. Even though growing up causes us to worry about life more, we should always remember that life can still be fun.”
Fun for Mark means getting involved in activities and enjoying every minute of them. Mark loves to ski and snowboard in Colorado, his favorite travel destination. He would like to test his skiing skills in Europe sometime after graduation. If he isn’t skiing down the slopes, kicking a soccer ball, or swinging a bat, you can find Mark relaxing on the weekends with friends and enjoying all Cape has to offer Southeast students.
Mark advises future students to make the most of their college experience by getting involved.
“The more you can get involved in activities that are outside of your day to day class routine,” Mark says, “the better your experience will be at Southeast.”