Women in Sports Tech Announces 2022 WiST Fellows
Class of 2022 is largest in program’s five-year history and will take part in first internships abroad.
San Francisco, CA – April 13, 2022 – Women in Sports Tech (WiST) is thrilled to present this year’s WiST Fellows, 27 talented undergraduate and graduate students chosen from an impressive group of applicants from colleges across the United States and, for the first time, students from a prestigious university in the United Kingdom. The Class of 2022 is the result of extensive outreach and a comprehensive selection process where candidates were evaluated on leadership potential, work ethic, and an ambitious growth mindset for entering a career in the exploding sports tech industry. WiST Fellows will each receive a $5,000 grant to pursue a summer internship with sports tech organizations from early stage startups to established businesses.
“We welcome this incredible group of young women to the WiST community and congratulate them on being named a WiST Fellow, rising above the most stellar applicant pool ever. This year’s selection process was by far the most competitive as the WiST Fellowship Program has become recognized within the sports tech industry for the extraordinary experiences for the Fellows and host companies alike,” said Marilou McFarlane, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of WiST. “Our WiST community looks forward to supporting these students as they begin their career journeys and long after their internships end.”
WiST provides a valuable pipeline of talent that supports gender equity at all levels and in all categories of the sports tech industry. The Class of 2022 is the largest in the WiST Fellowship program’s five-year history and includes varsity student-athletes and international students enrolled at 22 different universities.
“I’m inspired by the accomplishments and potential of the WiST Fellows that we will host this summer,” said Nancy Hensley, Chief Product and Marketing Officer, Stats Perform. “This program is so special for female students looking to pursue careers in this male-dominated industry and also for companies working to strengthen their workforce by hiring and retaining qualified women.”
“Titleist and FootJoy brands are all in on the WiST Fellowship Program. We’re excited to host a 2022 Fellow and hired a student from the 2021 cohort to work with us this summer as well,” said Andrea’ Lattimore, Talent Acquisition, Diversity Program Manager, Acushnet Company. “We’re eager to give students exposure to our growing industry where more women can define their career paths.”
The WiST Fellowship Program provides meaningful work experience in the sports tech industry by strategically pairing university students with partner companies for internship opportunities in their areas of interest. The internships include a summer project which is designed and hosted specifically by the company or is student-created. For the Summer 2022 program, WiST secured its first overseas internships with two projects scheduled to take place at a partner location in the U.K. In addition to the grant, Fellows receive reimbursement for travel and housing up to $2,500. They will also be matched with a WiST Mentor and take part in interactive and engaging workshops designed to foster professional development and networking.
Including this year’s cohort, the WiST Fellowship Program will have placed 75 students in internships with sports tech companies since the organization’s inception in 2018.
For more information, visit WomeninSportsTech.org
Congratulations to the 2022 WiST Fellows
Alison Gilmore - Syracuse University - Zoomph
Aspen Chadderdon - Washington University in St. Louis - PantherTec
Ayanna Stukes - University of North Carolina at Charlotte - Comcast Spectacor Gaming/G4 Business
Bailey McLagan - University of Southern California - Wild Ai
Ekta Sharma - Sheffield Hallam University - Stats Perform
Ella Brown - Harvard College - Stats Perform
Emaly Vatne - The Ohio State University - Perch
Emily Anderson - University of Michigan - Catapult Sports
Gabi Lorenzo - University of Oregon - Ida Sports
Ishita Tibrewal - University of Massachusetts - MLB
Jackie Peszynski - Yale University - FEVO
Jacqueline Sandor - Williams College - PointsBet
Jade Esmeralda - George Washington University - Oura Ring
Kara Cannon - Ohio Wesleyan University - Sports Reference
Katie Payne - Ohio University - Comcast Sports Tech
Kristiana Passeri - DePaul University - HOKA
Lola Wheeler - Princeton University - Carbitex
Megan Glass - University of Michigan - Tempus Ex Machina
Megan Whittaker - University of Nebraska-Lincoln - Titleist
Olivia Proctor - Harvard College - Next League
Piper Hampsch - Duke University - Local Sports Network
Rachel Newman - University of Virginia - University of Virginia, Center for Applied Biomechanics
Rebecca Putnam - Swarthmore College - Hammerhead
Sarah Thompson - Syracuse University - GameChanger
Shirley Acquah-Davis - Sheffield Hallam University - Stats Perform
Stephanie Guzman - University of Southern California - Stanford FASTR and Boston Children's Hospital
Vedika Jogani - Ithaca College - Catapult Sports
Media Contact
Emma Henzes - Women in Sports Tech, Marketing Manager
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About WiST
Women in Sports Tech (WiST) is a nonprofit organization that drives transformative growth opportunities for women in sports tech and innovation at all stages of their careers, from the classroom to the boardroom. WiST develops and delivers innovative programs, original content, and a global community that provide tangible value for women and employers alike.
Its flagship initiative, the WiST Fellowship Program, provides grants for highly motivated college and graduate school students to pursue summer internship projects in sports technology. Additional WiST programs include the WiST Next Gen Resource Hub for high school students, the original content series WiST Presents, and the WiST NETWORK Career Hub, the single source for diverse hiring in the sports tech industry.
WiST is supported by donations from numerous corporations and organizations and also partners with accelerator programs such as Comcast Sports Tech, MassChallenge, and DivInc to provide mentorship and educational experiences for founders of sports tech startups.