DETROIT (9/16/2022) -- Some people enter college knowing exactly what they want to do in life, but for others, college is a place to explore different career paths and for one student-athlete, that took right to center stage.

Meet senior Kara Wolfbauer of the softball team. You might have already seen her, not on the field wearing the red, white and blue, but in Calihan Hall as an arena host and this past summer, she had a chance to work an internship with the United Shore Professional Baseball League (USPBL). 

"It was an amazing experience, this whole year has been," said Wolfbauer. "I am thankful for the opportunities I had with Detroit Mercy and the USPBL and learned so much from both of them."

Wolfbauer came to the University four years ago on a softball scholarship and also as a double major in psychology and communications. She had enjoyed video production classes in high school, but still did not know fully what she wanted to pursue. 

"Originally, I thought about doing something with speech pathology or psychology, but towards the end of high school I got into video production competitions so I then thought about that and when I got to college into the communication classes, they said I have a good voice for being on camera so I started to think about that," said Wolfbauer. "I just started thinking about it more and more."

Her first two years of softball and college were not normal dealing with the pandemic. The team played in only 23 games her freshman season before 2020 was shut down everywhere dealing with CODID-19. As a sophomore, the team played in just four games before the epidemic forced it to cancel the remainder of the year.

"It was definitely challenging and different for all of us, but it is something we all went through together," added Wolfbauer. 

As a junior, things started to come together as the world worked its way out of the pandemic. Wolfbauer and the team resumed normal practice and a normal school year of classes and that is when she started looking for an internship for her communications major. Long behold, she didn't have to look far.

"I was talking to my advisor about my interests in doing on-camera announcing or just something with announcing in general, she contacted the athletic communications office to see what was available," said Wolfbauer. "After that, I talked to James Tinkey, [Detroit Mercy Director of Marketing] and I was able to get started working as a PA announcer for soccer games and I loved doing that."

As soccer came to an end and basketball was beginning, she then had the opportunity to really get out in front of the cameras as one of the Titans in-arena announcers. This time, she would be able to work directly with fans and on camera.

"I have to say that this is what I love about Detroit Mercy. I love the small campus and the fact that everyone is so close and willing to help. I honestly don't know if I would have had this opportunity at a bigger school. My advisor was there for me and the athletic department was very open to having me help in so many ways," said Wolfbauer. 

As she gained more and more experience throughout the basketball season, Wolfbauer knew the communications field was an avenue she wanted to pursue. After the basketball season was over, it was back on the field as she was finally able to play a full year of collegiate softball. As the season started to wind down, she was looking at internships and once again, the small community of Detroit Mercy was able to give her another stepping stone.

She had applied for an internship with the USPBL and a current employee there use to work for Detroit Mercy, which opened the door for Wolfbauer.

"I didn't know that anyone at the USPBL worked for Detroit Mercy, but Jeremiah Hergott, one their vice presidents, had worked in the Detroit Mercy athletic department and the next thing I knew, P.J. Gradowski, [Assistant Athletic Director For Athletic Communications], called me about the internship with them and I got it," added Wolfbauer. "It was super exciting because I was going to be able to do a lot of things there and it was also so close to my house."

At the USPBL, she was part of the communications and marketing teams and had her hand in just about everything from pitching whiffle ball to kids at the game, operating a camera for the USPBL Network and play-by-play and color announcing on the broadcasts. 

"I had a great chance to experience a lot of different roles with the USPBL," said Wolfbauer. "It was about learning different things. I never thought about being an announcer and I was so nervous to do it, but I am so happy I was given that chance." 

But for Wolfbauer, it was the chance to be the stadium host that she grew to love and excel at. In this role, she not only had the chance to show off her easy-going and fun personality, but interact with players and fans. 

"It allowed me to break out of my shell a bit," said Wolfbauer. "At Detroit Mercy, I was nervous with the new role, but I was around friends and in a familiar place so I was just able to get over that quicker. At the USPBL, I was in a strange place and it just allowed me to really come out. They also allowed me to bring my own ideas into segments. Both Detroit Mercy and the USPBL allowed me to really help build the fan interaction and that is awesome to me."

Being a face at the games also meant extra attention from fans as Kara has one of the most popular social media following on campus and she owes it all to the small campus start she got at Detroit Mercy.

"Fans would stop by and talk to me when I was at the stadium, people would ask for my autograph, it was crazy," said Wolfbauer. "I really can't say enough of how much Detroit Mercy helped me. I love it here and I am so grateful for everything my professors and athletic staff have done for me. I honestly don't think I could have received this much support from anywhere else.