Texas Rangers Baseball Foundation to offer five Undergraduate Juniors and Seniors from diverse backgrounds a ten-week front office fellowship. Fellows to partake in rotating schedules within three front office departments
ARLINGTON, Texas — The Texas Rangers Baseball Foundation today announced the creation of the Charley Pride Fellowship Program, offering rising college Juniors and Seniors a ten-week internship opportunity with the team’s front office.
The new Fellowship Program honors the late country music legend, who had a strong connection to the Texas Rangers organization for more than 50 years. The details of the program were in the process of being finalized when Mr. Pride passed away on December 12, 2020, at the age of 86.
Officials from the Texas Rangers were joined in making today’s announcement by Mr. Pride’s wife, Rozene Pride, his longtime friends and fellow country music stars Garth Brooks, Larry Gatlin, and Neal McCoy, and prominent Dallas businessman Roland Parrish, whose Parrish Charitable Foundation is partnering with the Rangers Foundation in the Pride Fellowship Program.
Yesterday would have been Mr. Pride’s 87th birthday
The Texas Rangers Baseball Foundation established the Charley Pride Fellowship Program to help create a launching pad for students from diverse backgrounds looking to gain baseball front office experience.
The Foundation will hire, train and support five Fellows per year as they rotate through three front office departments. Fellows will select their departmental rotation based on their interests.
The Charley Pride Fellowship Program creates an entirely new experience offered by the Texas Rangers Baseball Foundation; it does not take the place of any existing internships or full-time positions. These students will gain valuable cross-disciplinary skills that will benefit them should they choose to pursue a career in professional baseball or any other industry.
Additional program details and application requirements are outlined below:
The Rangers were honored to have Charley be a part of the team’s ownership group for more than ten years. A longtime resident of Dallas-Fort Worth area, he was a regular at Rangers home games when his schedule permitted.
This unique opportunity will place candidates in roles with the Rangers while providing them with valuable cross-disciplinary experience which will benefit them should they choose to pursue a career in professional baseball or any other industry.
Eligibility
- Seeking employees from diverse backgrounds to apply
- Candidates must be rising Juniors or Seniors (enrolled in a bachelor’s degree program)
- Minimum GPA of 2.5
- A passion for and knowledge of baseball is helpful but not required
- A ten-week commitment to participate in Pride Fellowship Program
- Resume
- Cover letter
- Transcript
- A personal statement (500 words or less)
- Two letters of recommendation
- A ten-week opportunity, 20-hour workweek
- A three-department rotation based on their interests
- No absences (unless excused due to illness, etc.)
- March 18, 2021: Applications Open
- April 23, 2021: Applications Due
- May 3, 2021: Selected Finalists Notified
- May 31, 2021: First Day of Fellowship
- August 6, 2021: Last Day of Fellowship
“Charley Pride changed my life the day I met him. A man already at the top of his game didn’t need to mess with an inexperienced young singer but he did. Letting me use his band to open shows, he gave me the experience of performing all over the world with him also giving me the opportunity to hone my craft eventually signing a Major record deal and the rest is history.
About Charley Pride:
(Photo credit: Ben De Rienzo)
Charley Pride celebrated more than 50 years as a recording artist. He enjoyed one of the most successful careers in the history of country music and is credited with helping to break color barriers by becoming the first black superstar within the genre. A true living legend, he sold tens of millions of records worldwide with his large repertoire of hits. A three-time GRAMMY® award and Recording Academy “Lifetime Achievement Award” winner, Pride garnered no less than 36 chart-topping country hits, including “Kiss An Angel Good Morning,” a massive #1 crossover hit that sold over a million singles and helped Pride land the Country Music Association’s “Entertainer of the Year” award in 1971 and the “Top Male Vocalist” awards of 1971 and 1972. A proud member of the Grand Ole Opry, Pride performed concerts worldwide and has toured the United States, Canada, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand over the last several years. He received the Crossroads Of American Music Award At the 2019 GRAMMY Museum® Mississippi Gala in November of 2019, and the Country Music Association’s Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award one year later in November 2020. On December 12, 2020, Pride died at the age of 86 from complications due to COVID-19. His memory and storied legacy will live on through his vast library of stories and songs, with forthcoming plans for a final album release, public celebration of life ceremony, tribute concert, and biopic film.
Follow Charley Pride on Facebook and at CharleyPride.com.
#Texas @Rangers @RangersCare announces the Charley Pride Fellowship program, giving local college students the chance to earn a 10-week fellowship with their front office. Learn more: t.co/zVPE8mlbpD
