Central State University graduate looks back on her NBA internship

Central State University has served as a foundational step on the journeys of multitudes of graduates. From the federal government and leading tech companies and financial services to professional sports, Centralians are making their mark on the world around them. 

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Antoinette Williams, ’23, a native of Columbus, Ohio, had the unique opportunity to lend her graphic design skills to the NBA as a summer intern. On and off the court, Williams continues to impress upon her peers and colleagues the importance of never giving up. 

Williams, who played basketball at the collegiate level, combines her love of athletics with passion and purpose in graphic design and mass communications. She said it was a difficult decision to stop playing basketball amid the COVID-19 pandemic, but it also opened doors for her future career.  

“It was a pivotal point for me,” she said. “I became a better person during that time, and I could truly focus on education and figure out who I am.” 

NBA HBCU Fellowship opens doors for students  

As a fellow with the NBA’s program with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Williams obtained exclusive opportunities to intern with league offices or teams. The NBA HBCU Fellowship is a partnership of the NBA, NBA Foundation, Children’s Defense Fund, and Fearless Dialogues. 

Williams humbly says she was at the right place at the right time in earning her summer internship with the NBA. But she also had the skills needed to land the 10-week internship with the New Jersey League Office. In the Department of Creative Services, Williams crafted designs that appear at the end of commercials, advertisements, and presentations. Living in New York and working in New Jersey were both new experiences after spending her life in Ohio.

Being an active member of the campus community 

Williams took every opportunity available to her at Central State, including serving as a residence hall advisor for two years and participating in the New Age Modeling Club. Through the club, she also helped students on campus market their own clothing brands.  

“I had found my niche, so I wanted to try to see how I could use that on campus and see where it took me,” Williams said.

Williams has recently launched her own clothing brand and offers freelance graphic design services in central Ohio and beyond. Her ultimate goal is to turn her internship with the NBA into a permanent position that combines her two greatest passions: athletics and design. 

As a recent college graduate, Williams is still finding her place in the world. “I don’t know which direction it will take me, but I work hard. I’m trying to stay in the lines of sports, music, and lifestyle.”  

Williams began drawing at a young age, inspired by her brother, who is six years older. Art always sparked her interest, and with her brother’s guiding hand, she “never thought about being anything other than an artist.”  

“If it wasn’t for him, I don’t know what I would want to do,” she added.  

When Williams was in fifth grade and her brother was a high school senior, he would bring home art projects. He even asked his teacher for double the art supplies, so he could bring some home to share with his younger sister.  

Last February, Williams was selected to go to Cleveland for an art showcase for HBCUs. She was paid $2,000 to commission a piece, and with that money, Williams bought her first camera. Since then, she progressed substantially in her live photography, for which she is self-taught. 

“There are things that I can control, such as my business and my clientele,” Williams said. “I dream of going back to the NBA or the WNBA, and with the clothing space, there are a lot of lanes that I can take. I’m still maneuvering how to get to that initial door.”