University of North Carolina Athletics
Swimmers Reflect On Summer Internships
October 19, 2022 | Swimming & Diving
Each summer, UNC student-athletes participate in various internships across the country, exploring opportunities in pursuits of occupations after their athletic careers. Several members of the Carolina swimming and diving team completed internships in a variety of fields.
GoHeels.com recently spoke with some swimmers about their unique experiences over the summer.
Wesley Barnett is a junior from Charlotte and is a business administration major with a concentration in real estate and finance. This past summer, he completed an internship with Eller Capital Partners, a private equity real estate company that invests and re-develops multifamily homes across the southeast.
Amy Dragelin is a senior journalism major from Charlotte with a concentration in advertising and public relations. She spent the summer in New York as an intern with FTI Consulting, working in their strategic communications department on their crisis team in the cybersecurity sector.
Kendall Ewing is a junior from Virginia Beach, Va., majoring in neuroscience. His internship was with NOBULL, an athletic footwear, and apparel training brand.
Noah Rutberg is a junior economics major from Potomac, Md. He did a nine-week internship at the National Institute of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Md.
How did you get your internship?
Barnett:Â I connected with real estate industry professionals with which I had prior relationships to see if they knew of any companies in Chapel Hill that offer opportunities for rising juniors like myself. I sent a mass email to numerous companies and received four responses; one was from Eller Capital Partners. After participating in two interviews, they offered me the position of a financial intern for the summer of 2022.
Dragelin:Â My dad works at FTI out of the Charlotte office, and a few UNC swimming and diving alumni work there, so they have always been on my radar.Â
Ewing:Â The way I found out about this opportunity was from my uncle. He reached out and asked me if I was interested in a summer internship with one of his colleagues. He told me I would be able to work with professional athletes and attend sponsored events, so I eagerly accepted.
Rutberg:Â My mom is a government employee who works for NIH, and she connected me to some of her colleagues. I reached out to her colleagues and ended up interning for one of them at the National Institute on Aging (NIA).
What were some things you learned in your role?
Barnett:Â Throughout my role, I learned about the formation, capitalization, and ongoing management of the firm's investment funds. I learned valuable communication skills and the different ways to interact with business professionals.
Dragelin:Â I learned about cybersecurity and potential threats at FTI. I learned the importance of attentiveness to details in a crisis and how to work quickly and efficiently. When I was not working on a cybersecurity matter, I worked with the corporate reputation team on a project for a popular entertainment and social media platform by providing industry-wide and firm-specific analysis on election security and data privacy. I learned first-hand how life's constant evolution impacts a company and its social status.
Ewing:Â I learned what goes on behind the scenes in setting up events and athlete experience for big athletic competitions, such as the CrossFit Games, NFL Combine, and the PGA Tour. I also focused my work on providing the leading technology and nutrition available for the best recovery results for competing athletes.
Â
Rutberg:Â I learned a lot about how to be a successful communicator with other professionals in the business world. I was able to familiarize myself with various software programs, especially Microsoft Office.
What was your favorite part of the internship?Â
Barnett:Â My favorite part of my internship was when the CEO of the company I was involved in took me out to play golf on my last day working for the company.Â
Dragelin:Â My favorite part of the internship was the people I worked with and the culture they created in the office. My team was very supportive in teaching me about the cybersecurity world but also invested in who I was as an individual outside of work.Â
Ewing:Â My favorite part of my internship was collaborating on a project with other Division I athletes and professional athletes.
Rutberg:Â My favorite part of the internship was working within the dynamic levels of the government. Every day I was in communication with a network of professionals.
Â
GoHeels.com recently spoke with some swimmers about their unique experiences over the summer.
Wesley Barnett is a junior from Charlotte and is a business administration major with a concentration in real estate and finance. This past summer, he completed an internship with Eller Capital Partners, a private equity real estate company that invests and re-develops multifamily homes across the southeast.
Amy Dragelin is a senior journalism major from Charlotte with a concentration in advertising and public relations. She spent the summer in New York as an intern with FTI Consulting, working in their strategic communications department on their crisis team in the cybersecurity sector.
Kendall Ewing is a junior from Virginia Beach, Va., majoring in neuroscience. His internship was with NOBULL, an athletic footwear, and apparel training brand.
Noah Rutberg is a junior economics major from Potomac, Md. He did a nine-week internship at the National Institute of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Md.
How did you get your internship?
Barnett:Â I connected with real estate industry professionals with which I had prior relationships to see if they knew of any companies in Chapel Hill that offer opportunities for rising juniors like myself. I sent a mass email to numerous companies and received four responses; one was from Eller Capital Partners. After participating in two interviews, they offered me the position of a financial intern for the summer of 2022.
Dragelin:Â My dad works at FTI out of the Charlotte office, and a few UNC swimming and diving alumni work there, so they have always been on my radar.Â
Ewing:Â The way I found out about this opportunity was from my uncle. He reached out and asked me if I was interested in a summer internship with one of his colleagues. He told me I would be able to work with professional athletes and attend sponsored events, so I eagerly accepted.
Rutberg:Â My mom is a government employee who works for NIH, and she connected me to some of her colleagues. I reached out to her colleagues and ended up interning for one of them at the National Institute on Aging (NIA).
What were some things you learned in your role?
Barnett:Â Throughout my role, I learned about the formation, capitalization, and ongoing management of the firm's investment funds. I learned valuable communication skills and the different ways to interact with business professionals.
Dragelin:Â I learned about cybersecurity and potential threats at FTI. I learned the importance of attentiveness to details in a crisis and how to work quickly and efficiently. When I was not working on a cybersecurity matter, I worked with the corporate reputation team on a project for a popular entertainment and social media platform by providing industry-wide and firm-specific analysis on election security and data privacy. I learned first-hand how life's constant evolution impacts a company and its social status.
Ewing:Â I learned what goes on behind the scenes in setting up events and athlete experience for big athletic competitions, such as the CrossFit Games, NFL Combine, and the PGA Tour. I also focused my work on providing the leading technology and nutrition available for the best recovery results for competing athletes.
Â
Rutberg:Â I learned a lot about how to be a successful communicator with other professionals in the business world. I was able to familiarize myself with various software programs, especially Microsoft Office.
What was your favorite part of the internship?Â
Barnett:Â My favorite part of my internship was when the CEO of the company I was involved in took me out to play golf on my last day working for the company.Â
Dragelin:Â My favorite part of the internship was the people I worked with and the culture they created in the office. My team was very supportive in teaching me about the cybersecurity world but also invested in who I was as an individual outside of work.Â
Ewing:Â My favorite part of my internship was collaborating on a project with other Division I athletes and professional athletes.
Rutberg:Â My favorite part of the internship was working within the dynamic levels of the government. Every day I was in communication with a network of professionals.
Â
Players Mentioned
IM, Back
/ Swimming & Diving
Free, Back, IM
/ Swimming & Diving
Breast, Free
/ Swimming & Diving
Back, IM
/ Swimming & DivingWBB: Post-UNCW Press Conference - Dec. 17, 2025
Thursday, December 18
UNC Women's Basketball: Brooks, Toomey Blow Heels Past UNCW, 84-34
Thursday, December 18
Blue Heaven: 2025 UNC Field Hockey, Episode 5
Wednesday, December 17
MBB: Hubert Davis Post-ETSU Press Conference
Wednesday, December 17