Reaching for "The Star"

TAMU-T SENIOR, REBEKAH DRENNON, LANDS DREAM INTERNSHIP WITH THE DALLAS COWBOYS

by FERNANDA HERNANDEZ

^ photo by KELLI KONZEN

Rebekah Drennon, who is set to graduate officially from Texas A&M University-Texarkana in December, is spending the last few months of her university scholar career gathering both knowledge and experience at her dream internship. For this 22-year-old Communications student, striving daily to achieve her dreams is something that comes as second nature. Following in her father’s footsteps, Rebekah executes an impeccable work ethic in her personal and professional life, thus landing her the experience of a lifetime.

The Texarkana, Texas, native secured an internship with the Dallas Cowboys, an experience she explains has left her starstruck. “When I first got there, I was a little starstruck. As soon as we walked in, you look around, and the facility is phenomenal, and when the players walked out of practice and we saw them, it was such a surreal moment,” Rebekah explains. Through this Event Presentation internship, she has been able to assist the Event Presentation Department with events at The Star and AT&T Stadium, as well as work at Dallas Cowboys Football Camps on and off campus and even escort players to a variety of stations to generate jumbotron footage. “The best thing I’ve learned so far is seeing all of the components that go into making an event happen and how many people are involved,” she says.

Deeply rooted in a sports-oriented family, Rebekah explains that her lifetime passion for fitness, sports, and her desire to achieve an overall physical wellness is something that has developed from a young age. She has been involved in sports through her participation in Track & Field during her high school career, and is currently a certified Personal Trainer. “I work out every single day at the Sportsplex. My family is really into staying active and healthy,” says the Dallas Cowboys intern. “I also love football. I grew up around it, and I’m really comfortable around the sport,” she adds. As a daughter to an Athletic Director, Rebekah has had the opportunity to understand sports on a deeper level and further developed a desire for a long-term career in the field. “I want to work for a sports team. I am loving everything about the event staff. We are always working on something different,” she explains, adding that she recently had the chance to work in the control room for Big 12 Media Days.

Aside from the passion for physical activity, Rebekah is also a dedicated and involved academic. Throughout her student career, she has excelled in every subject, consequently being named in the University Honor Roll as well as the President’s Honor Roll every year since 2015. Since graduating high school as a sophomore and going on to attend Texas A&M University-Texarkana, Rebekah has been actively involved in a variety of activities such as the Eagle Eye Newspaper, Student Government, Omega Delta Chi Sorority, Key Club International, DECA, and served as a Student Ambassador for A&M-Texarkana. Her involvement in various organizations allowed her to stand out and set herself apart from the competition while undergoing the interview process for her current internship. Rebekah attributes her personal and professional growth to her university, more specifically her professors, and the Marketing Department. “The University Advancement Department has helped me get to where I am today. They’ve really prepared me, trained me on the software, and I’ve also helped with different events such as the Women for A&M socials. They are really great people,” she says. Once she’s completed a Bachelor in Communications, she plans to move to Dallas, land her dream job with a sports team, and looks forward to completing a Masters in Sports Management or Business.

^ Rebekah (third from left) with some of her coworkers in the University Advancement department at TAMU-T. They include: Mark Missildine, Stacy Glover, Lindsey Clark, Shannon Gustafson and John Bunch. (Not pictured are: LeAnne Wright and Courtney Boeckmann.)

The Dallas Cowboys organization has introduced this TAMU-T senior to experiences beyond the teachings of the classroom, and has brought her face-to-face with influential people within the corporation. Therefore, allowing her to push herself and learn how to not only contribute to the events being carried out, but also how to carry herself in specific situations. “It’s different once you are in the field. I’ve learned so much that you don’t learn in the classroom,” she says, adding that she has put to use the teachings of her father, the classroom, as well as hands-on experience. “This internship has pushed me to be outgoing because I’ve had to interact with a lot of different people ... people who are much higher up than me,” explains Rebekah. “My dad always told us growing up that everyone has to start somewhere, so if someone tells you to sweep the floor, you sweep it and then go back and sweep it again. That’s what gets you noticed.”

^ Rebekah and her father, Joe (who was the Athletic Director
for Mineola ISD), hug each other in AT&T Stadium after the Yellow Jackets won the 3A State Football Championship in 2016. Ironically, Rebekah is now working at AT&T Stadium.

Finally, Rebekah’s work ethic and involvement goes hand in hand with her Christian faith. “My parents have always taught me that even if you end up with your dream job, or have the ability to travel and do a lot of many cool things, it means nothing without your faith in God. That’s why it’s so important for me to stay plugged in with my church and the community,” explains Rebekah, who attends church every Sunday with her family. Rebekah Drennon truly believes that every person should work toward becoming the best version of themselves. “I think one should always strive to be the best,” she says.