Image by Ben Hider
Jade Burroughs ’06, vice president and chief of staff of football operations for the NFL, has created her career adventure by taking risks and striving for excellence every day.
> I CHOSE LEHIGH because I wanted to stay close to home (Palmyra, New Jersey) but far enough away that I couldn’t go home every day. I knew I wanted to work in sports, but I didn’t want to pigeonhole myself by getting a sports degree. Lehigh has a great business school, where I knew I would receive a good overall education.
> MY FIRST ELECTIVE IN THE BUSINESS SCHOOL was Marketing 101. I loved it and thought, “I could make a career out of this.” I ended up doing work-study in the athletics department, working with the marketing team, and I got a lot of solid experience there.
> THE SUMMER BEFORE MY SENIOR YEAR at Lehigh, I participated in a Philadelphia Eagles internship, when the Eagles had their training camp at Lehigh. I worked with their marketing team. I learned about the internship from a sports panel held for students at Lehigh. A representative from the Eagles was on the panel, and I cornered him afterward to tell him I was interested in an internship. He told me to call him, and I did—I just kept calling the office until I got him! My persistence paid off and allowed me to gain an interview, then land the internship.
> TAKING RISKS AND TRUSTING my abilities has led me on an interesting journey. I started out with a boutique sports marketing agency, then Nike Basketball’s event agency, the Big Ten Conference, and Van Wagner Sports & Entertainment before joining the National Football League. Every day is an adventure.
> I LOVE FOOTBALL. I’m going into my eighth season at the NFL, and I love what I do. It’s great to see the evolution of the game—in a good way. We’re pushing the game forward by always balancing innovation with the rich tradition of football. Seeing what these athletes put into their sport and getting to be a small part of someone’s journey to the Super Bowl is rewarding. My first Super Bowl with the NFL was the 2017 season, when the Eagles won in Minnesota. I’m a huge Eagles fan and it was amazing to be present for that win.
> STAND UP FOR YOURSELF. I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the number of talented women in the NFL, at the club level as well as in decision-making positions, including our football operations senior team at the league office. I tell young women it’s important to not let anyone tell you, you can’t do something. You must be your own best advocate, a cheerleader for yourself. That was a lesson I had to learn in my adult life—to stand up for myself.
> THE BEST ADVICE I'VE BEEN GIVEN is to enjoy myself, enjoy the ride. I was fortunate to come from a good support system. I haven’t been afraid to take risks in my career. My parents always told me to go after my dreams and not be afraid of failure. My advice to students is to work hard, be smart and trust yourself.
> LEHIGH TAUGHT ME INDEPENDENCE and how to think and process information. The school’s culture is one of go-getters who work hard, whether it’s the professors or administrators; they want students to succeed. The best things I’ve gained from Lehigh are the lifelong friendships.
As told to Cynthia Tintorri.