From the pitch to Plaza One: NWSL players “Experience Nationwide” in Columbus
After a long season, most professional athletes look forward to a short break before getting ready to resume competition. A select group of National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) players opted to add a different type of training to their offseason.
Dorian Bailey, Shea Groom, Savannah Madden, Addisyn Merrick, and Cassie Miller participated in an immersive professional development program hosted by Nationwide at its corporate headquarters in Columbus, Ohio. This marks the second year in a row that the insurance and financial services company has offered the program known as “Experience Nationwide” to NWSL players.
Over the course of two weeks, the cohort learned about the Fortune 100 company’s businesses from leaders and associates in the areas of Marketing, Corporate Sustainability, Technology, Corporate Citizenship, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, and other departments across the enterprise. They also participated in specialized training sessions and spent time with some of Nationwide’s sports marketing and community partners.
“Professional athletes have unique skills that are very much transferrable to the corporate world, from collaboration, quick decision making to resilience and more,” said Ramon Jones, Nationwide’s Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer. “We hope that each player walked away from this experience with a new perspective on what future career opportunities may look like in their next chapter.”
Nationwide became the exclusive insurance partner of the NWSL in spring of 2021 and recently announced a multiyear extension of the relationship. The centerpiece of the partnership is presenting sponsorship of the Nationwide Community Impact Award, a season-long initiative that promotes community partners and advances local service projects led by each NWSL team and its designated Nationwide Community Ambassador.