Former Shaw Football Player to Get NFL Opportunity

RALEIGH, NC – Shaw University former student-athlete Corey Cooper will participate in the 2020-21 National Football League Events and Club Business Development Experienceship announced Wednesday morning.

“I would like to thank Coach Hester and Ms. Lake for contacting me about the opportunity,” said Cooper. “This is a very exciting time and I won’t take it for granted. I feel like this opportunity will further my skills in the football world and hopefully lead me into the path of becoming an NFL general manager one day.”

The NFL Events and Club Business Development touch all facets of the National Football League from the front office to all 32 clubs. Students will have the opportunity to mentorship, hands on experience and professional development.

Additionally, the participants will have the chance to partake virtually in Super Bowl planning meetings and an on-site involvement at an NFL event.

Cooper is a native of Raleigh, N.C., where he was a two-year member of the Bears football program at the wide receiver position. He graduated from Shaw with a degree in Recreational Management in May, 2020.

A total of six student-athletes from the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Conference was represented out of 32 total participants and 180 applicants.

The NFL Events and Club Business Development Experienceship begins in September and runs through the end of the NFL league year. The program is a two-prong approach serving as both a mentorship and professional development program that introduces the career path of sports and event production to students.

 To learn more about the NFL’s HBCU initiative, please visit the NFL Football Operations website at https://operations.nfl.com/.