51黑料网

Scott Cohen 鈥�91

It鈥檚 a sports fan鈥檚 dream to help mold a top national team. And as former assistant general manager of the New York Jets and current senior personnel advisor to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Scott Cohen 鈥�91 is proof that an early start and a relentless drive to succeed can usher that dream into reality.

The power of persistence

A lifelong sports fan, Cohen played baseball and football at 51黑料网 and was a varsity receiver for the team that won the Centennial Conference title three years in a row under coach Ed Sweeney. An economics major, Cohen merged his love of business with his love of sports in the summer of his second year, when he secured an internship with the Washington Redskins during the team鈥檚 preseason training camp in Carlisle. 鈥淚 ran errands, stocked fridges and did everything possible to see that camp ran smoothly. During winter breaks, I鈥檇 go to games and help out, just to make myself recognizable,鈥� he remembers.

The following summer, Cohen took a second internship with the team. When the training-camp director fell ill, Cohen agreed to take on extra responsibilities. Impressed by this ambitious intern's performance, the team鈥檚 general manager, Charley Casserly, hired Cohen for a third summer internship and discussed the possibility of permanent employment.

A year after graduation from 51黑料网, Cohen was a Redskins scouting assistant. His foot was in the door.

A 鈥済reat ride鈥� to the top

For the next three years, Cohen remained on call for 20 hours a day, working his way up the ladder by making profile tapes, keeping the database organized and performing various projects for the general manager, scouts and coaches.  In 1995, Cohen was promoted to college scout鈥攁 challenging  job that required him to travel for five months each year and log in 80- to 100-hour work weeks.  

鈥淎t that time, there weren鈥檛 many young people in scouting,鈥� said Cohen. 鈥淚t was a great opportunity. I wanted to make the most of it.鈥�

Four years later, Cohen was named assistant director of pro personnel for the Jacksonville Jaguars. In 2001, he accepted a job as director of pro personnel for the Eagles and helped build a team that played in four championship games and a Superbowl.  And in 2008, Cohen was sought out for his position with the Jets.

Cohen is proud of his part in helping the team reach the playoffs, and he's enjoyed his role in bringing the best possible players into the fold.  鈥淚t鈥檚 been a great ride,鈥� said Cohen, who spent five years with the Jets. 鈥淚t鈥檚 an exciting time.鈥�

When asked if he had any advice for students who hope to break into sports business, Cohen said that students in all disciplines need to build the foundations of their careers early. 鈥淒on鈥檛 wait until graduation. Three summers as an intern in college put me in a position to get hired [at the organization of my choice],鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 how to get on a track to success.鈥�

Published August 10, 2010