Tyrese (23) was born and raised in the Netherlands. With a dad from Aruba and a mum from Jamaica, he grew up bilingual. In high school, he combined school with competitive swimming. When he started Sport Studies – track ISMB, he decided to stop swimming and fully focus on his studies.

Why Sport Studies was the right fit

‘I wanted to do a Bachelor’s programme in English because I thought this would be more valuable for my future career. I was not sure which field I wanted to start my professional career in. I did know that I liked sports and that I did not want to sit still the whole day. Sport Studies seemed to be the perfect fit.’

From guest lecture to internship at Patagonia

‘I did my strategic internship in year 4 at Patagonia. I learned about this brand when I did the Sports Commerce minor. A programme in year 3 which I highly recommend. During this minor a Patagonia employee gave a guest lecture, that is how I got to know more about the brand.

When I was applying for internships, I chose big brands such as McLaren, Nike, adidas, Patagonia and Lego. I got a job offer at Patagonia in the Retail Marketing department. Looking back at this internship it was interesting because I learned a lot of things about the environment, sustainability and I tried a lot of new outdoor sports.’

Dream Internship at Nike HQ

‘I did my graduation internship at Nike European Headquarters in the Netherlands. I did Real Estate operation in the Real Estate department. Basically, they are responsible for finding and closing deals for all Nike owned stores in Europe, Middle East, and Africa. Due to collecting sneakers and working at a Nike retail store, I always wanted grow and work at Nike EHQ. It took me multiple tries to land an internship there, so it is not easy to get in. It was interesting to see how a billion-dollar company works behind the scenes and to see the differences between big companies such as Nike and Patagonia.I did my graduation project in a different department of Nike, one that is more product related; an area I would like to work more with later in life.' 

Highlights of the programme

‘Personally: meeting people from all around the world. Having a class with international students was great. Hearing their stories, doing sports, going out with them, those are things I will never forget. Academically: the Sports Commerce minor really gave me an insight into what I can do after graduating from Sport Studies. Hearing stories from guest lecturers who work at companies you normally do case studies about, was inspiring for the next steps in my career.’

What’s next after graduation?

‘After graduation I am going back to Singapore and travel a bit in Asia for a month. Hopefully, I will have landed myself a job in the fall, so I can then start my professional career. I see myself working in the sports commerce area at a company that produces products. I think it is really satisfying when you are working on something and eventually end up with a physical product in your hands.’

Tyrese’s tip for new students

‘Try and get all your credits for the first and second year as soon as possible but do not forget to enjoy the student life and have fun with your classmates outside of school.’

Excited?

Curious if Sport Studies is the right fit for you? Come and experience it for yourself! Get a feel for the programme, ask all your questions and see if this is the study for you.