Student Gains Valuable Experience in Racing World

Seton Hall has long emphasized the importance of internship opportunities for its students. The Career Center is committed to helping students find - and advance - their careers. Eighty-one percent of our students have an internship or two on their resume before graduation, with 98 percent of these internship providers saying they would hire their Seton Hall intern for regular employment if they had an opening.

Junior Caila Yarwood arrived on Seton Hall's campus in August 2021. Before she even started classes, Yarwood knew she wanted to be a part of the College of Human Development, Culture, and Media (formerly the College of Communications and the Arts).

"From the moment I joined the College's virtual Open House session, I knew that I had to be a part of their college. The faculty was so friendly, and I immediately felt a sense of home, even through a computer screen," said Yarwood.

After spending some time reaching out to students and vetting the various majors in the College, Yarwood knew a path majoring in Public Relations and Communication was right for her. "It was very apparent to me after my first college class, 'Writing for the Media' with Matthew Pressman, that Public Relations was the right fit for me," recalled Yarwood.

Soon after, she declared a minor in Sports Media, eager to learn and see all sides of the industry.

Yarwood knew the importance of securing an internship as an undergraduate student and quickly started searching for opportunities to combine her passions of public relations, communication and sports.

During the spring semester of her sophomore year, Yarwood landed an opportunity with Charlotte Motor Speedway as an events and guest services intern. She spent that summer working at the track in Concord, North Carolina, in a wide range of roles that allowed her to gain valuable insights into the organization of large racing events. Her internship allowed her to plan, set up and tear down national, regional and grassroots events while learning the ins-and-outs of large-scale promotion and on-site hospitality.

"That's where my passion for working in the [racing] industry began," said Yarwood. "This was so special to me because I grew up going to the Coca-Cola 600 with my family every summer since I was six years old!"

Upon completing her Charlotte Motor Speedway internship, Yarwood knew she had found her ideal professional field. "The thing I missed the most was the racing itself," said Yarwood. "After working physically at the track, watching races on TV was not the same."

She did not wait long before attempting to return to the racing industry.

"My overall goal was to find a way to be back working in racing that still allowed me to manage my schoolwork," said Yarwood, looking to secure a position in the industry during the academic calendar.

"I went to websites of race teams in the series and pretty much sent a cold email introducing myself and my interests, explaining I was still a student and was looking to get back to the track. I shared samples of my writing of practice press releases and media advisories from classes I took at Seton Hall, and photo/video edits of racing I did in my free time for fun," she said.

After a handful of ignored emails, Alpha Prime Racing team owner Tommy Joe Martins allowed Yarwood to come to a race and show what she could do.

"We started with two races at the end of last season, during which I shadowed the graphic designer who also managed the socials at the time," she said. "Later, I was offered the position of public relations coordinator on the team for this current season."

Starting in Fall 2023, Yarwood served as the public relations coordinator for the No. 44 car in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. During her experience, she gained hands-on experience in professional content creation, such as creating content for the team's social media platforms and shooting and editing videos using Adobe Rush and iMovie to promote the team and its drivers.

Yarwood spent her summer in North Carolina closer to the race shop, gaining valuable hands-on experience with her teammates while completing another internship with Charlotte Motor Speedway. In this role, she gained experience writing press releases, race recaps and digitally capturing fan interactions and race content. "I wanted to enhance my writing skills this summer because it was one of the main skills I felt I needed to build up at Alpha Prime Racing," she said.

With an expected graduation date of December 2024, Yarwood's professional experiences in the racing industry have more than prepared her for full-time work in this field.

"The advice I would give prospective students and first-and-second-year students about getting involved on campus is to just say 'yes,'" said Yarwood. "Putting yourself out there and trying different things will give you the best sense of what you are passionate about."

Yarwood's proactiveness has given her over a year of professional experience in her desired field before graduation.

"Put yourself out there," she said. "Email the hiring manager and express your interest in the position. I've even found messaging people in your dream position(s) on LinkedIn is also a great way to learn and network. You never know what lies ahead if you don't try."

She added, "A quote I always like to remind myself is, 'Don't let the fear of striking out, keep you from playing the game.'"

Categories: Arts and Culture

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