The sport management major is spending her summer behind the scenes at Boston's No. 1 sports radio station, helping produce the very show she spent years listening to as a devoted fan.
Calling the biggest fan of “The Joe Murray Show,” 98.5 The Sports Hub’s weeknight program, might be an understatement. The sport management major estimates she tuned in to the Boston-based program nearly 300 times last year. So, when the station offered her an internship this summer, she knew it was the perfect fit.
“It’s just a really well-rounded internship, and that’s what I think is truly going to help me,” the aspiring sports broadcaster said.
While Marchand’s shift at the radio station doesn’t start until 6 p.m., she has her hands full with a wide range of duties the rest of the night. She answers incoming calls from listeners, assists with the station’s YouTube stream and creates graphics for social media. But what excites her the most is the chance to go live on the air.
“That’s probably the biggest opportunity I’ve had,” she said. “It’s really nice that they trust me to go on the radio with thousands of people listening.”
Early in the internship, the show’s producer wrote an entire segment for Marchand, giving her the chance to discuss the New England Patriots on the air. A few weeks later, she was helping the station’s social media team cover one of the most consequential days in Boston sports, following the Celtics’ blockbuster trade of Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers.
Those opportunities grew from a connection Marchand had pursued long before the internship began.
Because internships at 98.5 The Sports Hub aren’t publicly posted, Marchand said networking is essential. In fact, when Marchand initially sent Joe Murray a message on LinkedIn during her freshman year, securing an internship wasn’t on her mind.
“Funny enough, he left me on ‘read’ the first time I messaged him,” Marchand said. “A year later, I reached out again and said, ‘Hey, I waited a year. I’d still love to find time to chat. I know you’re really busy.’ The second time, he answered.”
When he finally responded, Murray asked a question that changed everything.
“Do you know Katie Bennert?” he wrote back, referencing the 2024 Elon graduate who both interned and worked at the station. Marchand had never met the Elon alumna, but had heard positive things about her from friends involved with Elon Sports Vision. That shared Elon connection prompted Murray to invite Marchand to tour the studio over Winter Break. That’s when he offered her a spot to join his production team.
“I decided that this would be the best opportunity for me, working at a major market Boston sports radio station, and it’s been amazing,” she said.
While her internship began this summer, Marchand is no stranger to sports broadcasting. During her first two years at Elon, she has contributed to more than 50 Elon Sports Vision broadcasts as a play-by-play announcer, sideline reporter and more. This past year, she became the youngest of three student hosts to call Elon Division I football games on the radio and co-hosted her own sports radio show with Scott Katz ’26. She has also worked more than 90 shifts with Elon Athletics, gaining additional behind-the-scenes experience in game-day operations.
“Being able to have that on my resume at just 19 years old, where a lot of people may not have those opportunities … I think that that’s really what Elon has helped me with,” Marchand said. “I don’t think I would have gotten those opportunities anywhere else.”
At Elon, Marchand has sharpened her on-air delivery and become comfortable working in a studio environment. Now she’s learning how to be more creative producing content centered on sports conversations rather than live competition. She’s also learning to separate her professional responsibilities from her passion as a fan.
Growing up just an hour outside Boston, Marchand has been a fan of the city’s professional sports teams since she was young. In August, she’ll attend Patriots training camp to capture photos and create content for the station.
“You do have to separate being a fan from your professional work, so I can’t fangirl over them when I’m there,” she said. “I have to be professional.”
While Marchand’s own initiative opened the door at 98.5 The Sports Hub, she credits the guidance she received at Elon with helping her walk through it. Assistant Professor of Sport Management Khirey Walker, in particular, played an important role in her internship search.
“He is just one of the most passionate, hardworking, selfless and kind people that I know at Elon,” she said. “He will literally drop anything to help any of his students.”
This fall, Marchand will continue her journey through The Sport Experience in Charlotte, where she’ll live, intern and study while expanding her experience in one of the nation’s fastest-growing sports business markets.