Athletes transition into business through the Alliance Bernstein Athlete Internship Program

In sport and business alike, we celebrate wins and champion the hard work of those involved.

This week we’re giving a shout out to Alliance Bernstein (AB), a global asset-management and research firm that’s giving former athletes the chance to transition into high-performing business roles through the AB Athlete Internship Program.

Alliance Bernstein Internship Program

In collaboration with Athlete Career Transition (ACT), the 6-month AB Athlete Internship Program offers athletes the mentoring they need to enter the investment space and begin building high-performance careers after sport.

As an Investment Management Operations Intern at Alliance Bernstein, athletes enter the engine room of a financial multinational. They learn how to work with huge quantities of data, money and products to ensure millions of transactions are processed accurately every day.

The Internship offers unique access and exposure to a high-performance job with an industry-leading company. It gives athletes meaningful work experience for resumes, helps to develop business skills, and provides a practical pathway into the corporate workplace.

Andy Moore, co-founder at ACT said:

"AB are committed to fostering a vibrant, empowering environment where employees feel valued, fairly treated and excited about building a career.

“AB understand the key insight that hiring an elite athlete can bring, and having hired a cohort of fantastic talent with ACT already, know what it takes to support athletes through their transition journey in partnership with ACT."

Recent candidates include

Taylor Edwards (USA)

A former professional softball player and coach, Taylor Edwards holds Masters degrees in Marketing / Marketing Management, and in Sport and Fitness Administration.

Following successful completion of the AB Athlete Internship Program, Taylor is now a Client Guideline Management Analyst at AB.

Ukeme Eligwe (USA)

Former NFL pro, Ukeme Eligwe played for New York Giants, Tennessee Titans, New York Jets and Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders. Ukeme has stepped into a full-time role at AB following successful completion of the AB Athlete Internship Program.

Garrett Giovannelli (USA)

As a baseball professional, Garret appeared for Tampa Bay Rays in the US. Garret holds a BA in Professional Studies, with a focus on Leadership and Organisational Administration.

Following successful completion of the AB Athlete Internship Program, Garret is now SRM Analyst at AB.

Andrea Renee Villarreal (USA)

Andrea is a former college athlete and professional tennis player who achieved multiple accolades both on and off the court. She holds a BSc in Finance from Southeastern Louisiana University.

Following successful completion of the AB Athlete Internship Program, Andrea is now Trade Support Analyst at AB.

Naketia Swanier (UK)

On the basketball court, former pro athlete Naketia Swanier played for top-flight clubs in Poland, Turkey, Romania, Israel and Hungry, winning an array of honours. She graduated from the University of Connecticut in 2008 with a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology.

Following successful completion of the AB Athlete Internship Program, Naketia is now Trade Analyst at AB.

Athlete Career Transition

At ACT, we understand the challenges that athletes face as they embark on their career transition, because we were once athletes ourselves.

An athlete leaving professional sport also moves away from support networks, cultures and lifestyles that define their identity. ACT’s purpose is to create a handrail for former sports professionals at this crucial time in their careers.

We work closely with all athletes placed with business partners to ensure the transition is as smooth and successful as possible.

Click here for more information on the AB Athlete Internship Program and opportunities available.

Click here to learn more about the work we do at ACT.