Wichita State University
Wichita State University student Karen Marquez, an integrated marketing communications
major, is part of the athletic department's creative team. The students shoot video
and photographs and work with graphics and social media content.Shocker Athletics
Wichita State students learn varied skills as part of Athletics creatives team
April 4, 2025
Working a paid internship in Wichita State Athletics means working nights and weekends. The deadlines are constant – before a game, during a game and after a game.
WSU students are learning the importance of teamwork and communication in order to handle the pace and conditions as part of the athletic department’s creative team.
Knowing they are serving as a conduit from all 16 Shockers sports to their fans makes it a job they enjoy.
“There is always something happening with each sports team,” said sophomore Bryan Chavez, a journalism and media production major from Dallas. “We’re providing for fans, and they’re relying on us. That’s what makes it a fun job.”
Kat Ramirez, creative services manager, manages a team of 10 Wichita State students, plus content producers Willie Schwanke and Brian Barnes. The paid applied learning positions help students with expenses while they improve their skills and add to their resume.
“It definitely helps with the daily necessity things,” said Skylar Fleeman, who is working on her master’s degree in communication. “Everything piles on when you start entering adulthood, finances being one of them. I need to get gas, and you have money. I need to pick up a few things from the store.”
Fleeman, who also works as a personal assistant for a family, appreciates the flexibility her job with the creative team offers. She can fit her class work, jobs and life responsibilities into an effective schedule.
“It’s also great because your job is on campus,” she said. “That’s why I stayed to continue this internship and get my master’s. I have this little community, and I know I can still grow here. When I’m done, I know they have set me up for great things.”
The students shoot video and photographs and work with graphics and social media content. This team is responsible for the video, photo and graphics fans see on social media and in venues. Their applied learning experiences include creating graphics to celebrate when a Shocker is named conference player of the week, intro videos at Charles Koch Arena and game highlights and updates.
“If you don’t get Corey Washington’s dunk uploaded right after it happens, the fans are going to miss out on that experience,” said Fleeman.
Wichita State graduate student Skylar Fleeman wants to build her resume as a creative
in the athletic department and continue in the profession, perhaps in professional
sports. “The more versatile you are, the more wanted you’re going to be,” she said.Shocker Athletics
Fleeman, from San Diego, works primarily with volleyball, softball and cheer and dance. Chavez covers bowling, men’s and women’s basketball and baseball.
Their week starts with an 8:15 a.m. Monday meeting during which Ramirez maps out the events and coverage duties. Being part of the Shocker creative team teaches them time management, organization and teamwork.
“Communication is key,” Chavez said. “Over-communicating is way better than under-communicating.”
Fleeman’s family grew up in and around Wichita and her grandfather had season tickets for Shocker basketball for many years. That family connection brought her to WSU, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in communications with an emphasis in electronic media.
“The Shockers were very instilled in me,” she said.
Both Fleeman and Chavez want to stay in sports as a creative after their time at Wichita State.
“The more versatile you are, the more wanted you’re going to be,” Fleeman said. “Kat has done a really good job showing us that we need to be leaders, and we need to take charge of our stuff and get it done.”
Ramirez enjoys organizing and leading the group through the taxing schedule of athletic seasons.
“I love it, because I didn’t have that when I was developing as a young creative,” Ramirez said. “I want to be that mentor that I wish I had and then instill that in them so that when they get in my position they’ll be able to pay it back.”
About Wichita State University
Wichita State University is Kansas' only urban public research university, enrolling more than 23,000 students between its main campus and WSU Tech, including students from every state in the U.S. and more than 100 countries. Wichita State and WSU Tech are recognized for being student centered and innovation driven.
Located in the largest city in the state with one of the highest concentrations in the United States of jobs involving science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), Wichita State University provides uniquely distinctive and innovative pathways of applied learning, applied research and career opportunities for all of our students. The National Science Foundation ranked WSU No. 1 in the nation for aerospace engineering R&D, No. 2 for industry-funded engineering R&D and No. 8 overall for engineering R&D.
The Innovation Campus, which is a physical extension of the Wichita State University main campus, is one of the nation’s largest and fastest-growing research/innovation parks, encompassing over 120 acres and is home to a number of global companies and organizations.
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