John Carroll University's ties with the National Football League run deep, and the outsized impact its graduates have had on the field, in the coaching ranks, and in the front office have gained national attention. The JCU Football Program alone has produced over 20 former players currently working in The League. Not to be overlooked, Lizzie Trathen ’13, ’18G is leaving her own mark with the NFL's Detroit Lions and in her community.
How did you get your start working in the NFL?
I started working for the Cleveland Browns Foundation towards the end of my time in the JCU Nonprofit Administration program. I was searching for a job at a nonprofit in Cleveland when I found the listing for the Cleveland Browns Foundation Fellow. I feel like it was a mix of luck and fate – I remember seeing the job description online and thinking, Wow, you can do this for a job?!
Tell us about your current role with the Lions.
As manager of Detroit Lions Charities, my main responsibilities are fundraising, facilitating the grant application and award process, and coordinating events with our grant partners.
I serve as the day-to-day contact between the Lions organization and our five grant partners. Every Tuesday during the football season is a “Community Tuesday,” and we facilitate some sort of engagement in the community for our players to volunteer on their off day. This year has been a challenge, but we’ve gotten creative with our virtual events and have made the most of it! We’ve also had to get creative with our fundraising this year – instead of large fundraising events like Taste of the Lions and the 50/50 raffle, we’ve focused on online fundraising initiatives. The biggest fundraising project I lead this year was the Fan Cutout program. Similar to what was done in other sports leagues, we offered fans the opportunity to purchase a fan cutout to be placed in our fan-less stadium for the 2020 season with proceeds benefitting Detroit Lions Charities.
What drew you to this type of work? What are the most rewarding aspects of your job?
I was initially drawn to nonprofit work because I wanted to feel like the work I was doing mattered and made a difference. Specifically with working in sports philanthropy, I feel like I am part of giving back to communities on an even larger scale because of the resources and exposure that teams can bring to local organizations.
The sporting industry overall is also just exciting! Every day we’re tackling something different. I love the fast-paced environment of working in sports, and also – it’s fun!
The most rewarding part of my job is that I know the work we are doing really makes a difference in Detroit communities. Beyond the funds we distribute to local organizations as a foundation, seeing kids light up when a Lions player comes into their classroom is definitely the best part of my day.
What advice do you have for others, especially women, seeking to get their foot in the door in the major sports industry?
My advice is just to go for it! Reach out to people on LinkedIn and start thinking about what aspect of the sports industry interests you most. There are so many opportunities on both the sports side and the business side. I think I struck the jackpot as far as managers and leadership goes – both at the Cleveland Browns and the Detroit Lions, I’ve been lucky to be on women-led departments that really haven’t made me think twice about working in a male-dominated industry.
How did John Carroll shape you and help you along your career path?
John Carroll shaped me in many ways and helped prepare me for this type of work. I definitely found my love for service at John Carroll through immersions and other volunteer opportunities, but I also am super grateful for my education from the Boler College of Business. Having a background in business and an education in Nonprofit Administration from John Carroll has given me a lot of tools that I use every day. Who knew I’d be using what I learned about Excel in my BI classes every day now? I think probably even more than that, the connections I made with my professors and mentors at John Carroll have helped me the most throughout my career. Throughout my time as an undergrad and graduate student, I had a handful of really great professors that would take the time to help me and provide guidance and recommendations. I still call Dr. Tina Facca-Miess whenever I need career guidance or help! I really don’t think I would have ended up where I am today without her.