During the summers when the Olympics are held, the 20 members of the extended Egan family gather together to cheer for their favorite athletes as they vie for medals in the international competition.

“For us, it has always been a family event and a point of camaraderie,’’ says Ella Egan ’27 (BUS), a junior studying management at the School of Business. “That’s why I love the Olympics, because it brings people together.’’

In 2024, Egan and her family traveled to Paris to watch the summer Olympics in person.

“I remember sitting next to a family from Australia and talking not only about the games, but where we were from and about our cultures. It was a great way to make new friends,’’ she says. “That’s the best thing about sports, it unites people who share enthusiasm. It is almost a universal language.’’

Now, Egan is getting a chance to see the Olympics from a completely different angle – that of an intern for the official US broadcaster of the games.

Egan Excited to Serve as NBCUniversal Hospitality Guide

Egan will spend two weeks as an NBCUniversal Hospitality Guide at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy, which began with opening ceremonies on Friday, Feb. 6. In her role, she will accompany high-profile guests to Olympic competitions, and on sightseeing and cultural excursions in Italy.

She says she expects the experience to be something she cherishes for the rest of her life.

“My primary goal is to make guests comfortable and to help them have a great time, and experience the world-wide connection that I did,’’ she says.

Egan is a big fan of Olympic ski jumping and skating, and hopes she’ll be able to watch some of those competitions. But even the lesser-known sports, like curling, are fascinating when it comes to international competition, she says.

“The anticipation is building and it’s feeling very real,’’ she says of her trip. “I’m excited and can’t wait to be there.’’

Marketing professor Kelly Herd says the paid internship will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for her student.

“I am not surprised that Ella was one of only a few students picked from across the country for this opportunity. She is thoughtful and passionate about both sports and business,’’ Herd says.

“Throughout the semester, I was particularly impressed by Ella’s ability to provide creative, real-world examples that related to the topics we discussed,’’ she says. “We are thrilled to have Ella represent UConn at the Olympics.’’

Internship in London Was Great Preparation

Studying abroad for a semester in London and working for a sports charity called SportInspired last year gave Egan the confidence to pursue the Olympics internship, which she was offered in October.

“Having an opportunity to study abroad gave me great exposure to a different culture and developed my confidence and ability to travel elsewhere,’’ she says. She has visited Milan and Florence very briefly and speaks a few words of Italian.

Egan says she’s a “natural people person’’ and that her three years in the School of Business have helped her become a better conversationalist and given her additional business acumen that will be useful in meeting prominent guests.

In addition to her academic pursuits as a management student, Egan is Finance Vice President for her sorority, Alpha Epsilon Phi, and works as a Game Day Assistant for UConn Athletics.

‘I’ll Leave with Great Stories and Talking Points’

A native of Bethel, Egan says she will certainly chat about UConn and the state of Connecticut with the people she meets.

“I take a lot of pride being from UConn. I think many people from the United States will know about our great sports accomplishments, but I’ll be happy to share them with the international guests, too,’’ she says.

Beyond the excitement of the internship, Egan believes it will be an asset as she begins her business career.

“I think the Olympics will help in all aspects of my career. I will be networking and meeting fascinating people, I’ll leave with great stories and talking points,’’ she says. “This is an experience I can’t get anywhere else, working with NBC, a company I’ve always wanted to join. I think it is an experience I will talk about forever.’’