In today’s collegiate landscape, student-athletes are CEOs of personal brands and navigators of a high-stakes digital economy. Yet, a quiet crisis persists: the "Resume Gap." While peers spend summers at Fortune 500 firms, elite athletes are in the weight room, on the team bus, or on the road.
At the CKA SAVE Project, we decided "either/or" was an unacceptable legacy. The CKA Virtual Internship Program (VIP) is a 100% asynchronous, "Grace-Based" professional incubator designed specifically for the volatility of elite athletic life.
"We don’t ask athletes to find more time—we teach them to maximize the time they already have." — Dr. Keith Adams
Traditional internships weren't built for your life. We built one that is. Our VIPs don’t sit in lobbies; they lead critical functions across four high-impact pillars:
Execute real-world donor campaigns and lead the “5-5-5-1” membership drive to fuel student-athlete advocacy.
Direct social media strategy and produce high-level content for the Odd Coaches Podcast (OCP) Global Access Initiative.
Analyzing student-athlete thoughts on academic and athletic motivation as well as collective bargaining.
Serve as On-Site Leads for annual national initiatives, including the NCAA Final Four, The Sack Symposium, and the Black Student-Athlete Summit.
A professional educator with over 30 years of experience as a coach, Athletic Director, and Founder. Dr. Adams understands "Time Poverty" because he lived it. His "Beyond the Scholarship" framework ensures athletes leave with a high-level executive portfolio, not just a degree.
A University of Washington graduate leader who brings an executive mindset to the lived experience of the modern student-athlete, serving as the bridge between theory and execution.
"Dr. Adams trusts his interns to be responsible for their assigned projects... This allows us to strengthen skills that are vital for our future careers."
"I didn’t realize how transferable my athletic skills were until I joined this program."
"CKA matters because the people behind it genuinely care about helping athletes thrive, not just survive."
"This opportunity allows me to gain hands-on experience while finding my own professional path."
Whether you are an athlete looking to bridge the gap or a partner looking to support the next generation of leaders, the movement starts here.
The cheering stops eventually. We’re making sure our athletes are ready for what comes next. Visit: www.ckasaveproject.org