Kayla Miles, a third-year student from the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, was selected as the first recipient of the Carolina Blue Honors Fellowship to pursue a self-identified internship learning and working in an entrepreneurial sports venture abroad. Miles will use the fellowship to cover her expenses while she works in an expanding sports business in New Zealand during the summer of 2016.
The Carolina Blue Honors Fellowship was established in 2015 with a gift from UNC-Chapel Hill alumnus Ricky May. Its purpose is to recognize ambitious undergraduate students who possess a strong work ethic and sense of adventure, and it is open to all Carolina students who meet the eligibility criteria.The fellowship provides up to $5,000 to fund individuals who seek to gain experience in the business of sports while traveling abroad and supporting the growth of a small venture.
To be selected as a Carolina Blue Honors Fellow, an applicant must provide convincing evidence of a long-standing interest in sports and an entrepreneurial spirit through the application, recommendations, and interview. The proposed fellowship experience should enable students to embark on a summer internship focused on learning and working in the business of sports, with particular preference for an entrepreneurial setting.
Miles is from Watertown, N.Y. and is majoring in exercise and sports science and minoring in entrepreneurship. She plays for the women’s lacrosse team at Carolina. She will travel to Wellington, New Zealand, to embark on a summer internship with VX Sport, an entrepreneurial sports business focused on optimizing athletes’ performance through monitoring devices and data-driven decision-making. She hopes to continue to work with VX Sport on their expansion into the United States upon her return.
