Amanda
Golson
Experiences
This section highlights various experiences I've had that I believe are notable to my career.
USA Basketball Women in the Game Conference
March 2023
As highlighted on my resume, I had the distinct privilege to travel to Dallas Texas on behalf of a scholarship I received from USA Basketball. I was one of ten women selected out of over 200 applicants and was the 2nd youngest recipient. During my time in Dallas, I met so many amazing people from USA Basketball as well as my fellow recipients. At the conference, I learned from WNBA players, coaches, Olympic Athletes, CEOs, Athletic Directors, and many more. Each one of them gave a very insightful look into the sports industry from their point of view. It allowed me to visualize the industry from many different angles to understand how their work impacts sport as a whole. I also had the opportunity to see how major events were put on such as the Final Four Tourney Town fan exhibit and the annual WBCA conference. Now, I am a member of the first national Women in the Game cohort and will continue to represent USAB in my future endeavors. I was even able to take part in a 6 week mentorship program where I connected with one of the coolest people in the industry and learned so much from her insight and experience.
Women's College World Series Trip
June 2023
As a part of the Sport Management program, I was able to travel to Oklahoma City to volunteer at the Women's College Softball World Series. I provided assistance in press conferences by distributing microphones and stat sheets to reporters. I also helped deliver stat sheets to the ESPN booth before games. I spent time volunteering in the Fan Fest area, administering waiver sheets and wristbands to participants. This experience was super eye opening as I saw all the ins and outs of a major tournament firsthand, and now understand how much work goes into a big event like this. While in OKC, we had the opportunity to travel to the University of Oklahoma, the OKC Dodgers, as well as the OKC Thunder. We met with various executives and toured their facilities. My goal is to work in the NBA so being able to see a different side of the Paycom Center was incredible. Not to mention the Thunder are my favorite NBA team, so that was pretty cool.
Tallahassee Community College Color Commentary
December 2022
I was called up last minute to call a women's basketball game at Tallahassee Community College by the V89 Sports director. Having no prior color commentary experience, I was hesitant at first but knew that it would be a good experience. It was not perfect by any means, considering I was not too familiar with either team and was designated the task of operating the livestream. All things considered, it was a great experience and will continue to say "yes" to future opportunities at TCC as well as opportunities that might seem intimidating. This game proved to me that I am not perfect but facing these opportunities and learning from them is the best thing I can do.
Bat Girls Bright Futures Promotional Video
October 2021
I was selected by our program director be interviewed and help film a Florida Lottery promotional video for the Bright Futures scholarship. I was able to speak about the positive impact of the scholarship and highlight the spirit group that gave me my first experience in collegiate athletics. This scholarship has made my overall college experience less stressful for both myself and my family. I worked incredibly in high school and am glad that it paid off.
Florida State Sport Management Conference
March 2023
I was able to attend the Sport Management conference where I met with representatives from local brands like the Tallahassee Soccer Club and national brands like the Tampa Bay Rays. I also listened to various guest speakers from agents to lawyers and former NFL coaches. This was my first time at a professional conference so I really learned how to market myself when speaking to not only executives but my peers. I was able to connect with a ton of students in my program that work in all different areas of athletics such as marketing and event management. This was a great opportunity to present myself as a professional and meet with so many people in the industry.
V89 Sports Shifts
Weekly shifts are the lifeblood of the sports department and allow us to market ourselves as individuals consistently throughout the week. Each member gets roughly three minutes to share three stories of their choosing, with one being Florida State related. Shifts have improved my quick reading, digesting, and writing skills immensely. They also helped me find my voice and keep me confident in my work. Although it may seem small, the more I started the do them, the more comfortable I got until it was routine for me. As Chief Anchor, I am in charge of making sure our members are showing up to their designated time slots and following the correct format. I also am in constant contact with WVFS DJs to make sure that everything runs smoothly. I also created an instructional video for new members to show the correct process of doing a routine shift.
Homecoming Live Host
October 2023 & November 2024
During Homecoming weeks 2023 and 2024, I had the honor of being a Co-Host of Florida State’s annual Homecoming Live! I was in charge of introducing acts, interacting with the crowd, interviewing homecoming committee members, and facilitating trivia/lip sync battle games. Being on stage at the Tucker Center was a dream come true and I learned so much about myself as a person and as a performer. These events were put on primarily by students which really made me appreciate how much goes in to putting an event like this together. I had such an amazing time sharing the stage with so many talented performers and glad I could be a bright spot in between acts!
National Girls and Women in Sport Day Halftime Interview
February 2023
On February 1st, 2023, I had the honor of conducting a halftime interview with FSU Women's Basketball Senior Erin Howard, talking about the importance of women's representation in sports. Since this is a topic that is very important to me, I was delighted when I was asked to speak with her. It felt empowering to give Erin the space to talk to me about the importance of this topic and how she hopes women continue making strides in the industry. My hope was to show the audience how passionate we both were about this topic while providing encouragement to any other girls watching.