Muhlenberg athletes are spending the summer of 2025 enjoying fantastic experiences on campus, in their hometowns, and across the country.

Rising senior women's lacrosse player Rebecca McCurdy, a media and communication major, combined two of her passions in a rewarding summer internship with USA Lacrosse.

This summer, I'm working as a social media and marketing Intern with USA Lacrosse, where I've taken on a wide range of responsibilities from developing content ideas, filming and editing videos, and writing captions, to covering events live on Instagram and X, designing graphics for carousel posts, and engaging with fans online.

I was drawn to this internship because it combines two of my biggest passions: lacrosse and digital media. I've known since high school that I wanted to work in sports, and having grown up playing lacrosse, I always followed USA Lacrosse athletes on social media. Those posts helped me feel connected to the sport and the people in it. Now, I get to help create that same experience for younger athletes and fans. Most of my experience has been in the lacrosse world, so working at USA Lacrosse feels like a meaningful and natural next step.

One of the most exciting weeks of the internship came when the U20 Men's National Team, the Senior Women's Sixes Team, and the Senior Women's Field Team were all on-site for training camp. Since I primarily support the men's social media channels, I spent the week embedded with the U20 Men's training team, capturing practices, filming behind-the-scenes content, and running their media day. That experience allowed me to immerse myself in the team environment and build relationships with the players.

Media day, in particular, was eye-opening. At first, the athletes were understandably reserved, but as I had the chance to introduce myself and interact more casually, their energy shifted. They became more comfortable, more engaged, and the content we created reflected that; the coaches were even engaging and intrigued by the question boards!

I learned how crucial it is to build trust with athletes to capture authentic, engaging content. In sports social media, you're often pointing a camera or phone at someone and asking for a quick clip, but the real magic happens when players know you're there to make them look good and tell their story in a positive, genuine way.

This internship has also allowed me to work with and highlight some of the biggest names in lacrosse, including: 
• Chloe Humphrey (UNC '28, 2025 national champion, 2025 Tewaaraton recipient)
• Charlotte North (Boston College '22, two-time Tewaaraton recipient, 2021 national champion, Boston Guard)
• Izzy Scane (Northwestern '24, two-time Tewaaraton recipient)
• Connor Buzcek (Cornell men's head coach, coached Cornell to first national championship since 1977 in 2025)
• Matt Rambo (Maryland '17, 2017 Tewaaraton recipient, Maryland Whipsnakes)
• Brendan Millon (No. 1 recruit in the class of 2025)
• Shawn Lyght (Notre Dame '27, 2024 national champion)

I'm especially proud of the success of some of our content. One highlight: an agility challenge we filmed with the U20 Men's Team that brought in over 156K views on TikTok, 125K on Instagram, and became our third most-viewed TikTok post, with more than 13K likes.

Beyond the day-to-day responsibilities, what's made this experience especially meaningful is the culture. Everyone on staff has been welcoming and supportive, and the hands-on nature of the role has allowed me to take real ownership of projects. My supervisor, Nicole Durante, has created an environment that encourages creativity and growth. A fun coincidence: Erin Misner, who manages the Women's National Teams, actually coached at Muhlenberg under Coach Stuckel in 2019!

After having to medically retire from playing this past season, this internship has given me a new way to stay connected to the game I love. It's been incredibly rewarding to be surrounded by people, whether it's coworkers, coaches, or players, who are just as passionate about lacrosse as I am.

Several experiences and mentors at Muhlenberg helped prepare me for this role. My background as a player has made it easier to anticipate key moments and understand the rhythm of the game from a content perspective. Working on social media for Muhlenberg Athletics and the women's lacrosse team taught me how to develop strategy, create content on the fly, and engage an audience.

One class that's been particularly impactful is Sports Journalism with Professor Vigneri, where I learned how to tell stories that go beyond the stat sheet. That skill has been especially valuable in this role, where much of our content focuses on showcasing the personalities of our athletes through Q&As, behind-the-scenes moments, and off-the-field interactions.

This experience has reinforced my passion for working in sports media and given me a clearer vision of the career I want to build. It's challenged me, inspired me, and most of all, reminded me why I love this work!

Doing something interesting this summer? Fill out this form to be included in our Summer Check-In series!