Insurance firm Gallagher taps pro athletes for summer internships, preparing them for life off the field

In return, Gallagher discovered the stars also tend to shine off the field."They know what it's to work hard and how long that path is to get to success," said Chris Mead, Gallagher's chief marketing officer. "They know what it's to be part of a team and how to lead one."This year Gallagher opened the gram to eight members of the National Women's Soccer League's Chicago Stars

Leilanni Nesbeth and Chardonnay Curran, a current and former midfielder with the team, respectively, jumped at the opportunity for a paid internship."It means a lot for us to be able to get our foot in the door," Nesbeth said in an interview with CNBC."I've never had a job outside of soccer," said Curran. "Being a soccer player was my first career, and I've never been in a corporate setting."Chardonnay Curran, then of the Chicago Stars FC, before a game between Chicago Stars FC and North Carolina Courage at First Horizon Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park on May 17, 2025, in Cary, North Carolina.Gregory Ng/isi Photos | Isi Photos | Getty ImagesGallagher started its Partnership Intern gram for athletes in 2024, piloted with four players from the NFL's Atlanta Falcons.Over six weeks, participants gain experience, fessional skill development and career mentorship, while also learning the ins and outs of insurance brokerage, sales and corporate culture.Gallagher, a sponsor of the Chicago NWSL team, tailors its internship gram for the athlete participants to accommodate their demanding schedules.For many, that support is crucial. sports careers can be short and unpredictable, and earnings can vary widely

The average NWSL salary is $125,000 per season, according to the league.Gallagher's goal is to prepare athletes for what comes next."We went in there knowing nothing insurance, and now I could bably bore your head off RPS," Nesbeth joked, referencing an industry term meaning "risk placement services."Leilanni Nesbeth takes a shot on goal during a game between the Chicago NWSL team and Bay FC at PayPal Park on May 5, 2024 in San Jose, California.Karen Hickey/isi Photos | Isi Photos | Getty ImagesFor Curran, it was changing preconceived notions the insurance industry."After doing the internship, everything I thought insurance was the exact opposite," she said.Curran and the Chicago Stars mutually agreed to part ways days after she spoke with CNBC.Mead said Gallagher has gone on to hire some of the athlete interns as employees when their playing careers are over.He said in Europe, the company employs a fessional rugby player who is one of its star salesmen."There's a time when the light bulb goes off and they see how celebrating a win on the pitch is no different than celebrating a win after a sale or doing something wonderful for a customer," Mead told CNBC.Get the CNBC Sport directly to your inboxThe CNBC Sport with Alex Sherman brings you the biggest news and exclusive interviews from the worlds of sports and media, dered weekly to your inbox. here to get access today.Coverage off the fieldTies between insurance and fessional sports are not new.For years, State Farm has run catchy commercials featuring former New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning, former Indiana Pacers shooting guard Reggie Miller, Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mas, Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark of the WNBA and a host of others.On Monday, AIG announced it was becoming the first Fortune 500 company to take a stake in an EFL League Two , with an investment in Salford City Football in the U.K.Nationwide, an NWSL partner, also runs a similar internship gram with league players, offering them a fessional development gram at the insurance company's headquarters in Columbus, Ohio."Our hope is that the players walk away with new skills and experiences that may serve them now and in their post-playing careers, perhaps back at Nationwide," said Jim McCoy, vice president of sports marketing for Nationwide.