My Maryland Made Moment: Simone Cooper
10/6/2026 5:00:00 AM | Maryland Made
How an internship shaped one Maryland track & field star’s college experience and future.
Simone Cooper exudes confidence.
As a thrower for Maryland track and field, she approaches each throw with the belief that she can get the most out of it. Now, as she enters her junior year, she's carrying that same confidence into a future beyond her time competing for the Terps, thanks to Maryland Made.
"I had been kind of avoidant of career-readiness and thinking past college," Cooper said. "At a certain point, I started thinking about those things and wanted an internship for the summer. I got connected with Maryland Made and landed my internship."
Cooper only recently got involved with Maryland Made, but the junior is already taking advantage of the opportunities it provides. It started with a paid internship at a veterinary clinic, where Cooper was able to gain valuable experience related to her animal science major.
"In my field, when it comes to work experience, a lot of it is unpaid," Cooper said. "Being able to have a paid internship, especially as a student-athlete, was so great. With track and field, the only time we have to ourselves is the summer, and having a program that ran through the summer gave me so much more flexibility to get my experience before the preseason started."
She considers the first time she walked through the clinic's doors as her Maryland Made moment.
"Talking to my advisors at the clinic and introducing myself was special," Cooper said. "A lot of people were shocked that I had time to do things other than track and field. I told them that Maryland Made helped me branch out. The first week of that internship gave me more clarity that I can do more than just track and field and schoolwork."
Now, as the 2026-27 school year begins, Cooper is continuing to explore everything Maryland Made has to offer. As a member of the latest cohort in the Gossett Fellows Program, she's surrounding herself with student-athletes from across Maryland Athletics and taking advantage of opportunities designed to prepare her for life after competition.
"At our last Gossett Fellows meeting, I sat with people from other sports and really got to know them," Cooper said. "It was nice to get out of my track and field bubble. Maryland Made has helped a lot with connecting me to people outside of my sport, and even some with potentially similar career paths as me."
Along with career readiness, Cooper has found a community of student-athletes with shared interests and experiences. She credits Maryland Made with reshaping her outlook on college, helping turn what once felt like a stressful balancing act into an experience she can enjoy.
"It feels amazing to know that you're not alone," Cooper said. "For me, especially during my freshman year, it was just classes and track, so it was really hard for me. Being able to relax a bit and lean on people who have excelled before me gives me a lot more confidence and makes my college experience a lot less stressful."
Her message to other student-athletes looking to branch out is simple: Give Maryland Made a chance.
"A lot of the people in Maryland Made were in sports themselves," Cooper said. "They know how taxing it is, mentally and physically. They'll always work with your schedule. The worst thing that could happen is you show up for an hour at an event and you don't mesh with it. Go to one meeting and just see if you like it, because it's very low risk, high reward. Just try it out."
As a thrower for Maryland track and field, she approaches each throw with the belief that she can get the most out of it. Now, as she enters her junior year, she's carrying that same confidence into a future beyond her time competing for the Terps, thanks to Maryland Made.
"I had been kind of avoidant of career-readiness and thinking past college," Cooper said. "At a certain point, I started thinking about those things and wanted an internship for the summer. I got connected with Maryland Made and landed my internship."
Cooper only recently got involved with Maryland Made, but the junior is already taking advantage of the opportunities it provides. It started with a paid internship at a veterinary clinic, where Cooper was able to gain valuable experience related to her animal science major.
"In my field, when it comes to work experience, a lot of it is unpaid," Cooper said. "Being able to have a paid internship, especially as a student-athlete, was so great. With track and field, the only time we have to ourselves is the summer, and having a program that ran through the summer gave me so much more flexibility to get my experience before the preseason started."
She considers the first time she walked through the clinic's doors as her Maryland Made moment.
"Talking to my advisors at the clinic and introducing myself was special," Cooper said. "A lot of people were shocked that I had time to do things other than track and field. I told them that Maryland Made helped me branch out. The first week of that internship gave me more clarity that I can do more than just track and field and schoolwork."
Now, as the 2026-27 school year begins, Cooper is continuing to explore everything Maryland Made has to offer. As a member of the latest cohort in the Gossett Fellows Program, she's surrounding herself with student-athletes from across Maryland Athletics and taking advantage of opportunities designed to prepare her for life after competition.
"At our last Gossett Fellows meeting, I sat with people from other sports and really got to know them," Cooper said. "It was nice to get out of my track and field bubble. Maryland Made has helped a lot with connecting me to people outside of my sport, and even some with potentially similar career paths as me."
Along with career readiness, Cooper has found a community of student-athletes with shared interests and experiences. She credits Maryland Made with reshaping her outlook on college, helping turn what once felt like a stressful balancing act into an experience she can enjoy.
"It feels amazing to know that you're not alone," Cooper said. "For me, especially during my freshman year, it was just classes and track, so it was really hard for me. Being able to relax a bit and lean on people who have excelled before me gives me a lot more confidence and makes my college experience a lot less stressful."
Her message to other student-athletes looking to branch out is simple: Give Maryland Made a chance.
"A lot of the people in Maryland Made were in sports themselves," Cooper said. "They know how taxing it is, mentally and physically. They'll always work with your schedule. The worst thing that could happen is you show up for an hour at an event and you don't mesh with it. Go to one meeting and just see if you like it, because it's very low risk, high reward. Just try it out."
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