Although we cannot celebrate Division III Week in person at the field, on the court or at the track the Royals will highlight the academic and athletic accomplishments of present and former student-athletes each day with feature stories online at BethelRoyals.com. Fans and student-athletes are can engage on our social platforms Twitter, Instagram and Facebook using #D3week and #BURoyals. A full schedule of this week's highlights can be found here.

Today we recognize and highlight where our current student-athletes have interned, gained professional development and other achievements related to their next steps after earning their degrees! Senior forward Bailey Thompson had the chance to intern with Premier Sport Psychology which is one of the largest sport psychology companies in the United States. A simple Google search led her to the opportunity to work with underprivileged kids on mental topics such as confidence, goal-setting and resilience.

"I absolutely loved my internship at Premier Sport Psychology as it really taught me what the field of sport psychology is. As someone who has been playing hockey since I was five, I knew that I wanted to combine my passion for sports with my love for my Psychology major."

It was those skills that carried over into her current job with FHIT Hockey. She initiated a partnership between FHIT and Premier where they carry out mindset development sessions with players. Thompson is continuing her education at California Baptist University next fall where she will peruse a master's degree in Sport and Performance Psychology.




Tessah Anderson, Women's Basketball & Women's Soccer
As a multi-sport athlete, sophomore Tessah Anderson landed a position at International Sales and Marketing Expressionmed. Finding the opportunity through the Center for Healthcare Excellence, she worked directly with the CEO and CMO of the small startup company.

"This allowed me to understand the reasoning behind our business decisions, how to work most efficiently, and how to effectively lead. I developed a deeper knowledge of market research and I am excited to develop that area of my knowledge."



Granger Kingland, Men's Basketball
A well-known name on the court, senior forward Granger Kingland served as an Executive Intern with a global hearing aid company named ReSound. He assisted with the company's President and Executive leadership team where he built relationships, learned concepts and understood behaviors that he never experienced.

"Like all jobs, there are pressures and demands that begin to form from the world. Success is almost based off our title or the income which we obtain. Through all this, even with all of the pressures, every career is an opportunity to acknowledge God. Whether you are a nurse, teacher, farmer, etc., all are capable of honoring and fulfilling God's purpose for us. No matter where we are, we are still capable to be aware of Christ, become like Him, and act as He did. By doing this, I was able to grow in more ways than I could have imagined from this opportunity."

          

Cole Smith, Men's Hockey
During his junior year, defenseman Cole Smith was a part of the Mayo Innovation Scholars Program. There he was an Undergraduate Researcher at the Mayo Clinic thanks to the help of his advisor Dr. Seth Paradis, professor of Human Kinetics and Applied Health Science, who led him to the opportunity.

Performing research for the Mayo Ventures Program, his team focused on exploring the scientific process and efficacy of inventions currently being developed by the Mayo Clinic. His role consisted of exploring the scientific background and processes that were within the scope of inventions given to them. At the end his team had the chance to present their findings to the Mayo Clinic inventors and physicians.

"This experience was truly a once and a life time opportunity, and I can't imagine being able to do this anywhere else but at Bethel. As an athlete, it not only allowed me to highlight and strengthen my team minded work skills, but it also gave me an opportunity to step into the world of business, and see the medical world through the lens of the business, which is not something that I get to see as a science student very consistently."


      

Brady Leverington, Baseball
An Insurance Sales and Services Intern with Ryan Hangartner State Farm Agency, senior catcher Brady Leverington learned about the opportunity through a teammate. His experience included assisting clients that encountered issues or questions regarding their insurance as well as learning how to handle a frustrated client in a tough situation. Leverington had the chance to work with State Farm's 69th-best sales team in the nation.

"There were several occasions where the clients were frustrated with the company or their present situation, so I had to learn how to address their complaints with a gracious heart. Between the knowledge I learned about the insurance world and the process of aiding clients, I was able to grow my ability to serve others."



Jack Fiedler, Football
This past summer junior right tackle Jack Fielder was a Project Controller at Xcel Energy in downtown Minneapolis. Learning valuable skills regarding industry specific software programs, he took on the task of managing millions of dollars in projects and made decisions that affected the power grid that gives energy to the entire state of Minnesota.

"Working at a company with 10,000 employees has taught me how to professionally communicate with others. I learned how important it is to relate to and understand others. It taught me that my job isn't just a 9 to 5 clock puncher but rather an opportunity to form relationships with coworkers and learn from other professionals. I am grateful for the opportunity to have interned at a company that valued the opinions and suggestions of college students."

This coming summer, Fiedler will be an Underwriter at United Health Group before starting his senior season in a Royals uniform.