The Gallagher insurance firm is pioneering a unique approach to summer internships by welcoming professional athletes into its ranks.

In 2024,the company broadened its internship initiative to include pro athletes,aiming to provide them with opportunities to prepare for their post-sports careers.According to Chris Mead, Gallagher’s chief marketing officer, the company has found that these athletes bring valuable skills and perspectives to the workplace. “They know what it’s like to work hard and how long that path is to get to success,” said Chris Mead, Gallagher’s chief marketing officer. “They know what it’s like to be part of a team and how to lead one.”

this year, Gallagher extended the program to eight members of the national Women’s Soccer League’s Chicago Stars. Leilanni Nesbeth, a current midfielder, and Chardonnay Curran, a former midfielder, embraced the chance to participate in a paid internship.

“It means a lot for us to be able to get our foot in the door,” Nesbeth said in an interview.

“I’ve never had a job outside of soccer,” said Curran.”Being a pro soccer player was my first career, and I’ve never been in a corporate setting.”

gallagher’s Partnership Intern Program for athletes began in 2024 with a pilot involving four players from the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons.

Over the course of six weeks, participants acquire business acumen, hone professional skills, receive career mentorship, and gain insights into insurance brokerage, sales, and corporate culture.

Gallagher, a sponsor of the Chicago NWSL team, customizes its internship program to accommodate the demanding schedules of the athlete participants.

This support is notably vital given the often short and unpredictable nature of professional sports careers, as well as the wide range of potential earnings. The average NWSL salary is about $125,000 per season, according to the league.

Gallagher’s primary objective is to equip athletes for their future endeavors.

“we went in there knowing nothing about insurance, and now I could probably bore your head off about RPS,” Nesbeth joked, referencing an industry term meaning “risk placement services.”

For Curran,the internship experience challenged her preconceived notions about the insurance sector.

“After doing the internship, everything I thought about insurance was the exact opposite,” she said.

Curran and the Chicago Stars mutually agreed to part ways days after she spoke .

Mead noted that Gallagher has subsequently hired some of its athlete interns as full-time employees once their playing careers conclude.

In Europe, the company employs a former professional rugby player who has become one of its top salespeople.

“There’s a time when the light bulb goes off and they see how celebrating a win on the pitch is no different than celebrating a win after a sale or doing something splendid for a customer,” Mead told .

“After doing the internship, everything I thought about insurance was the exact opposite,”

Beyond the Field: Insurance and Sports Partnerships

The intersection of insurance and professional sports is an established phenomenon.

State Farm, for instance, has a history of producing memorable commercials featuring prominent athletes such as former New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning, former Indiana Pacers shooting guard Reggie Miller, Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes, and Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark of the WNBA, among others.

Earlier this week, AIG announced its investment in Salford City Football Club in the U.K., marking the first instance of a Fortune 500 company acquiring a stake in an EFL League Two club.

Nationwide, another NWSL partner, operates a similar internship program that offers professional progress opportunities at its headquarters in Columbus, Ohio. According to Jim McCoy, vice president of sports marketing for Nationwide, “Our hope is that the players walk away with new skills and experiences that may serve them now and in their post-playing careers, perhaps back at Nationwide,”