Summer Internship Spotlight Series: Katie Fatianov (B’29)

Each year, our students spend their summers in Washington, D.C., across the nation, and around the world working in corporate, nonprofit, and government organizations. Meet a few of our graduate and undergraduate students in our Summer 2026 Internship Spotlight series. 

This summer, Katie Fatianov (B’29), a current Durban Sports Business Fellow at Georgetown’s McDonough School of Business, interned with Monumental Sports & Entertainment on its Global Partnerships team, gaining firsthand experience in the business of professional sports. From supporting Washington Capitals partnership renewals to analyzing contracts, researching market trends, and seeing how corporate relationships come to life at events, Fatianov explored the strategy and collaboration behind major sports partnerships. Here, she shares what she learned about the industry, how her McDonough coursework prepared her for the experience, and the importance of taking initiative as an intern.

Tell us about your internship and what attracted you to it?

I was hired by Monumental Sports & Entertainment in February, earning a spot on their Global Partnerships team. With eight teams, five venues, and a media platform under one roof, working with Monumental has been a unique opportunity to see how major partnerships are maintained across a diverse portfolio of brands and properties. 

Describe a typical day.

Cliché, but every day is different! When in the office, I might be reviewing deal sheets and contract materials, analyzing partnership renewals, conducting market and company research, preparing spec decks for leadership reviews, or improving internal trackers and reporting processes. During events, I also support senior leadership in meeting with representatives from partner companies, giving me the opportunity to see how corporate relationships are managed in practice.

What’s a project you’re especially proud to be working on?

I’m especially proud to be working on the Washington Capitals partnership renewals. This process brings together finance, accounting, legal, sales, and partnership management, with each team contributing a different piece of the final recommendation. Working on this project has given me a close look at both internal operations and broader industry trends, from how partnerships are valued and managed internally to how partner companies allocate their sponsorship dollars. It’s been fascinating learning what variables help define a strategically worthwhile deal – and how they differ across companies. 

What’s the most interesting meeting you’ve sat in on?

What began as a quick project check-in turned into a one-on-one walkthrough of how events are booked at Capital One Arena with Monumental’s longest-tenured business executive. 

Which McDonough class has unexpectedly helped you the most during your internship?

My operations and analytics coursework has been super helpful. Being comfortable with Excel and Microsoft Office has helped me compare contract information, organize partnership assets, identify discrepancies, and streamline repetitive processes. I’ve also applied those skills to spreadsheet automation and AI-assisted workflows, taking manual processes and building specialized agents to collect and validate information.

What’s your advice for future interns?

Make an effort to connect with your coworkers! Stay for post-work events, go out to team lunches, and get to know the people around you. You have so much to learn from them, both about their roles and the many different paths that led them there.