Corry Native Rachel Tasker Making Career in Athletics

Motivation, the reason or reasons someone acts in a particular way. A ten letter word that Corry native Rachel Tasker is quite familiar with. Her motivation level remains sky high despite accomplishing more than most 23 year olds could ever imagine. To understand how Tasker got to where she is today, it is best to understand her humble and small town beginnings.

Corry, Pennsylvania is a town on the southern border of Erie County, Pennsylvania and is filled with more of a backwoods sort of lifestyle rather than city life. It is a community in which most people know and support each other, and there is a lot of support for Corry Beavers athletics. Tasker like most kids growing up in Corry was an athlete, though she admits she was certainly not the star athlete. “I loved being a part of the volleyball team in high school. We had a great team that advanced to the final four in the state playoffs. I went to college and I missed being a part of a team and playing sports, but I was not really sure how to fill that void at first.”

Tasker graduated from Corry Area High School in 2015, and hoped to head to Syracuse University initially. She was accepted to the Newhouse School of Public Communications, the nation’s leading school of communications, and was hopeful to spend the next four years there, but ultimately decided on Penn State as an option closer to home and more affordable. Heading to Penn State, Tasker wanted to make a career in politics. Her dream job was to become the White House Press Secretary, so she decided to study public relations and political science. In order to get some experience, she spent a semester in Washington D.C. working on Capitol Hill for QGA Public Affairs during the 2016 election. When asked about her semester in the nation’s capital, Tasker talked about this eye-opening experience. “I gained a tremendous amount of knowledge, but I learned my personality was better suited for something else. It was not really the job or exact field for me. I went back to Penn State the next semester and wondered what I could do instead of this.”

While Tasker was unsure of her future, it did not take her long to figure out a new career path. She landed an internship in the Penn State Football ticket office, and this step into athletics realm changed her entire life. Tasker was responsible for dealing with donors to help the football team sell season tickets and receive donations from alumni and fans. She enjoyed her job and began helping the athletic department specifically with delegating Big Ten Playoff ticket allocations and donations as well. She was also involved with Penn State football recruiting in assisting potential student athletes on tours and answering questions about the university. This grew into becoming a student assistant for Community Relations and Player Development for Penn State football,where she helped raise over $90,000 for rare disease research, worked to create a player career night and welcomed special guests sideline at Penn State football games. Her career goal changes to wanting to become a college athletic director.

Over the rest of her time at Penn State, she lined up numerous other opportunities for herself including working  Super Bowl 53 between the New England Patriots and Los Angeles Rams in Atlanta. There, she assisted the ESPN Deportes with sideline reporting which she listed as her biggest accomplishment to date. Many asked her what she would need a minor in Spanish for, and a moment like this was only possible because of it. “It is definitely something that stands out on any application or resume,” Tasker said. While this is a huge accomplishment, there are plenty of other accolades she has racked up to talk about.

Tasker graduated from Penn State in the spring of 2019 with dual bachelor’s degrees in political science and public relations, while also adding minors in business, international relations, and Spanish. She took with her countless connections and memories, but she was certainly not done with the work she wanted to put into finding a career in sports. 

At a career fair, Tasker was not giving graduate school a thought. However, her future professor, Patty Keller from the University of Cincinnati, approached her and asked her if she was considering graduate school. While Tasker wasn’t, she listened to her pitch and discovered graduate school could be a great option to help her career. Tasker applied, was accepted, and received a graduate assistantship working  in the University of Cincinnati athletic department and Sport Administration discipline. She is studying sports administration while working in the athletic department and as an assistant teaching professor for undergraduate classes. Over the last year, Tasker has worked in the UCATS development office managing social media accounts, creating content, and sharing student athlete success stories. It has been a year filled with growth at the University of Cincinnati, and also some great extra experiences in between.

Tasker had the opportunity this past July to work the MLB All-Star game in Cleveland and work the College Football Playoff this January. The last 13 months for Tasker have been filled with excitement, but the fireworks have not stopped there.

Back in January, Tasker found out where her next stop would be after graduate school. She accepted a position working for the University of Georgia Athletic Association as a Communications and Development Coordinator for the Georgia Bulldog Club. She started the position May 1st remotely, while finishing up her last semester at the University of Cincinnati online as well. She will be assisting with fundraising for the athletic department, managing social media accounts, creating newsletters and donor development communications pieces, and much more. “I have to make sure fans, alumni, and donors feel connected to our team,” Tasker explained. “It is challenging in a time like this for fans to feel connected, so we have come up with some creative solutions for donors to help them realize that their impact is making a difference for us.

Each position and experience she has had prior to the University of Georgia has helped prepare her for the challenges ahead, and she has had numerous mentors, family members, and friends. Tasker was quick to thank several mentors she has had for their help and encouragement through her life. Tasker mentioned one of her first mentors in sports was her high school volleyball coach Kelly Goodsel. “He taught me how to be a professional, a leader, and to love sports. He was such an advocate for women in sports as well which inspired me on this path.” She also spoke about Jamal Griffin and Mike Poorman as two connections through Penn State who have made a huge impact on her life and helped her find her biggest passions.

Tasker also listed her professors from the University of Cincinnati, Patty Keller and Andrea Buenano, for each having a great impact both in her studies and in the development of her career. Lastly, she listed her family and friends back in Corry for their unwavering support. Her parents Tracy and Brett have supported her many moves the past few years while also believing in her with each new beginning she has had. 

It is safe to say the support system has played a huge role in always encouraging her to follow her dreams, but Tasker has also found unique opportunities and has never given up on the things she has wanted to do. While she has worked long days, traveled thousands of miles, and studied incredibly hard the last five years, she says her social life and time for fun has not waivered. “I care about all of the things I am doing, so it does not always feel like work. I have always wanted to be social both at work and outside of work, so I just credit having great time management and organization skills for helping me be able to stay on top of everything. I also would not sign up for something if my quality would suffer, and I do not think that has happened, though it has been very challenging at certain points. I have slipped up like anyone and made some mistakes along the way, but my work-life balance has not suffered despite all of the things I have been involved in.”

In the free time she does have, it is likely you will find Tasker hiking or traveling the world. She visited Europe for a study abroad, and listed the Swiss Alps as the most breathtaking scene so far in life. She hopes to go back to Europe soon and visit Greece. This small town girl is living a big time dream, but none of this journey was handed to her. Tasker has worked incredibly hard and been so resourceful with her connections and time in order to rack up the experience and opportunities she has had. The University of Georgia has gained an asset in their athletic department, and it is just a matter of time before Tasker realizes her dream of becoming an athletic director. For now, she is excited for what lies ahead in Georgia.

Rachel Tasker at the University of Georgia’s Sanford Stadium