From Dreaming Big to the Big Leagues

This summer, Dordt University MBA graduate student Isabel Pheifer will be helping create memorable experiences for the Minnesota Vikings. As a Training Camp Fan Engagement Intern, she'll assist with event operations, player interactions, youth programming, and VIP experiences—another step toward a career she has envisioned since she first started watching professional basketball at age 11. 

The opportunity follows a spring internship with the Sioux Falls Skyforce, the NBA G-League affiliate of the Miami Heat, where she helped coordinate game-day operations and fan engagement initiatives. 

Together, the experiences have reinforced a lesson she has learned throughout her Dordt journey: big dreams become attainable when they are paired with hard work and a willingness to embrace new opportunities. 

That mindset began taking shape during her undergraduate years at Dordt.

Pheifer’s grandfather, parents, and brother all attended the university, and she grew up hearing stories about the impact Dordt had on their lives. Once she arrived on campus, she quickly discovered that Dordt was more than a family tradition.

"It truly felt like family," she says. "The relationships, support, and sense of belonging made Dordt feel like home from the very beginning." 

Those relationships became one of the defining features of her undergraduate experience while majoring in communication and minoring in psychology. Through friendships and faculty mentorship, she found a place where people genuinely invested in one another.

"I've never felt so known and cared for by a group of people as I did during my time at Dordt," she says. "It's a place where people invest in one another, and that's something I'll always be grateful for." 

Deepening her Faith

Her time at Dordt also helped deepen her faith. Raised in the church, she entered college with a strong foundation, but Dordt challenged her to make her faith her own. 

She compares that journey to discovering poetry.

"Sometimes you have to look between the lines," she says. "But it's there—waiting to be found." In the same way, she came to recognize more fully the presence of God's love and the confidence that comes from knowing she has been chosen by Him. That understanding has shaped both her faith and her future aspirations. 

Professionally, those years helped transform a childhood dream into a realistic career path.

Her goal has been to someday work in professional sports, but she wasn't sure how to get there. A series of internships and hands-on experiences as an undergraduate student at Dordt gradually clarified the possibilities available to her. By her senior year, she realized that a career in sports wasn't simply a dream—it could become reality. 

That realization played a major role in her decision to return to Dordt for an MBA degree.

From Dream to Reality

After graduating, she was living in Denver and weighing several options when she learned about Dordt's Athletic Communication Graduate Assistant position. The opportunity allowed her to continue developing professionally while pursuing an advanced degree.

"I knew Dordt was a place where I could continue to grow, where people genuinely cared about my success, and where I could make a meaningful impact," she says. 

Choosing an MBA also provided an opportunity to broaden her skill set. She wanted to strengthen her understanding of business and prepare herself for future leadership opportunities. The flexibility of Dordt's MBA program, combined with supportive instructors and practical coursework, has allowed her to balance graduate studies alongside athletics responsibilities and internships. 

Award-Winning Work

At the same time, she has become a key member of Dordt Athletics' communication team.

In her role, she leads content creation and media coordination across social media, graphic design, photography, and event coverage. She especially enjoys telling the stories of Dordt student-athletes and helping fans engage with the university's athletic programs. 

That work has already earned national recognition. Just a year after creating her first sports graphic, some of her content has received national NAIA creative awards. While grateful for the recognition, she sees the awards as evidence of growth, mentorship, and the opportunities Dordt has provided.

"Dordt is a special place,” she says. "It's an honor to help broaden the reach of Dordt and tell the stories of this community through creative content." 

As she looks toward the future, her goal is to work in community relations, game operations, or fan engagement for a professional sports organization. Her motivation remains the same: helping people feel like they belong.

"Sports have a unique ability to bring people together," she says. "I want to be part of creating environments where people feel welcomed, valued, and connected." 

Through flexible coursework, intentional learning experiences, practical application, and a Biblical vision for servant-leaders, Dordt's MBA is equipping professionals across industries to make meaningful impact wherever God has called them.