When news broke that the newly established NBA G League team, the Wisconsin Herd, would be based in Oshkosh, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh seniors Katie Biersach and Alicia Kahl readied their resumes.
As public relations (PR) majors and enthusiastic sports fans, the two students were thrilled to be selected as PR interns for the Herd.
“Internships like these can be highly competitive, so we were happy to see both PR roles filled with our students,” said Sara Steffes Hansen, chair and associate professor in the journalism department at UW Oshkosh.
Originally from Waukesha, Biersach describes her position with the Herd as, “nothing I’ve done before.”
Despite having two previous experiences as a PR intern, working in the entertainment industry with the Herd is a completely new experience for her.
“This position has been extremely valuable to me not only to refine my PR skills, but to learn more about the different PR industries,” Biersach said. “I want to work in the entertainment industry, and working with the Herd has shown me how much of an impact a sports team can have on its community and how I enjoy cultivating that.”
Kahl, of New Holstein, is no stranger to the world of basketball. Her love for the sport has been driven by the strong bond she has with her younger brother and his love of basketball.
“Over the years I’ve realized that I really want to work for a sports organization and bring the joy that I see in my brother to other young kids and communities alike,” Kahl said.
The internship with the Herd is a “dream come true” for Kahl, who is hoping to eventually turn her work into a full-time position.
“This internship has really validated that I truly do want a position in the sports and entertainment field after graduation,” she added.
Biersach and Kahl’s work has included preparing for the Herd’s first few games in Wisconsin, writing content for the game-day program and media guide, researching statistics, creating content for social media, and writing biographies for individual players.
Once the Herd begins to play home games at the Menominee Nation Arena under construction in Oshkosh, Biersach and Kohl will primarily work with the media to ensure they have the proper information and statistics regarding the team and players. The two students act as an avenue of communication between the team and community, representing the Herd’s brand.
Located in the “Sawdust District,” the new arena will be the home of the Wisconsin Herd. The decision to place the minor league G League team here was made by the Milwaukee Bucks, owners of the Herd.
The addition of the new basketball brand to Oshkosh provides a wealth of learning opportunities for the UW Oshkosh public relations interns.
“Our players has been on the road for the beginning of their inaugural season, but once they come back to Oshkosh, we will have more opportunities to work with them and get them involved in the community too,” Biersach said.
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