Camryn Mauter ’27 came to Capital University planning to teach math. Now she’s telling stories for Columbus’ NHL team and making sure fans see the people behind the jerseys.
The first hockey game Mauter ever watched in person, she was on the clock.
A few weeks into her role as the Columbus Blue Jackets’ digital media and content intern, Mauter spent the preseason opener shadowing her bosses and asking question after question.
“I was asking a million questions,” she said, laughing. “I was like, this might sound dumb, but what is that?”
Hockey was new to her, but learning a sport from the inside out has become familiar for the senior public relations major and Capital golfer.
“I thought I wanted to be a high school math teacher,” she said. “I loved my high school math teacher.”
One semester in, she realized something bigger was pulling at her.
“I think I actually want to work in sports, not just coach,” said Mauter.
Her mom didn’t hesitate. “She literally is my biggest cheerleader,” Mauter said. “She was like, look, I will support you in whatever you want to do. If you want to move across the country, I will come out there and visit you.”
Mauter switched to public relations, added minors in sports business and emerging media, and started building experience at Capital. She edited graphics for athletics, took a sports broadcasting class and became a social media intern for the university.
“I wouldn’t have been able to get these internships if it wasn’t for my experiences that I’ve had here at Capital,” she said. “Small school, big city, lots of opportunities. Capital is a 10-to-20-minute drive to the Arena District. There are plenty of opportunities to get your feet wet. I really think Capital’s location maximizes the number of opportunities there are for students, really in any avenue you want to go down.”
This past summer, Mauter interned in marketing, promotions and community relations with the Columbus Clippers and worked more than 60 of the team’s 75 home games.
“It was kind of what I put into it, was what I got out of it,” she said. “So, I tried to put as much into it as I could.”
Some of her favorite moments happened in the stands. Her best friends spotted her on the video board at Puppy Palooza.
“They were like, there you are on the big screen,” she said. “I’m like, yeah, that’s me, guys, that’s me.”
Her mom came to a game too.
“She was like, I just want to come watch what you’ve been doing all summer.” Afterward, Mauter brought her onto the field.
Emily Poynter, the Clippers’ director of community relations, said Mauter stood out from her interview to her final day. Poynter wrote that through rain delays and nervous kids before in-game contests, “Camryn was able to easily handle any situation thrown her way.”
For Mauter, the work is personal. As a student-athlete, she has watched fans tear players apart online after a bad game, especially when they’ve placed a bet on them.
“These are real people,” she said. “I’m passionate about showing that athletes are more than just athletes. They have other interests. They have personalities. And really, just showing fans that makes fans feel more connected.”
Mauter graduates in May, and her goal for the hockey season isn’t perfection. It’s growth.
“Hopefully when the time comes in May, I’ve learned and I’ve grown and I’ve made mistakes,” she said. “But this is the time to make mistakes, because it’s an internship and I’m learning.”
Her advice to other students sounds a lot like her first night on the job: “Ask questions, even if they seem dumb.”