Assistant director credits postgraduate internship with launching career
When Ayaz Hafeez was hired as an assistant director in enforcement last October, he joined a handful of former NCAA postgraduate interns already on the department’s staff, including fellow assistant director Aaron Hernandez (2013–14), associate directors Mike Zonder (2008–09) and Libby Harmon (2011–12), and veteran director Steph Hannah (1994–95). Even his supervisor, Jackie Thurnes, was a postgraduate intern in 1997–98 in the department now known as academic and membership affairs.
“When I was a postgraduate intern, I really enjoyed the people, environment and culture of the NCAA,” said Hafeez, a member of the 2015–16 NCAA postgraduate intern class. “I felt someday this is where I would want to work and was lucky enough to get my opportunity. … I really enjoy working at an organization where my love of athletics and my skills/education can be used to make a difference in college athletics.”
After his internship, Hafeez did a yearlong stint as director of compliance at UC Davis before returning to the national office for a contract position with the NCAA Eligibility Center. Since being hired in enforcement full time last fall, his responsibilities consist of handling and processing Level I and Level II cases for all three NCAA divisions.
“My internship helped me get familiar with enforcement colleagues, protocols and department directives,” Hafeez said. “I processed Level III cases as part of the secondary/Level III team and also helped other assistant directors on Level I and II casework, which included attending case hearings as an intern.”
While Hafeez worked hard during his internship, he recognized the importance of forging new relationships and continues to rely on some of those he developed as a postgraduate intern in his current assistant director role.
“The internship is more than just working hard and being productive,” Hafeez said. “The relationships you build within your intern class and in all departments at the NCAA will last a lifetime. I still have relationships that help me in my current position.”
Before coming to the national office as a postgraduate intern, Hafeez turned down a job offer to be the head of compliance at a Division I institution — a decision that has made all the difference in his mind.
“The postgraduate internship has propelled my athletics career,” he said. “I truly feel like it was one of the best decisions I have made in my career and I know that I wouldn’t be where I am in my current position without being a postgraduate intern.”
