For this assignment, I had the chance to speak with Shamar Gray, Football Outreach Coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens. Our conversation gave me a really cool inside look at what it takes to build a career in sports, especially in roles focused on community, fan engagement, and communication.
Shamar’s journey started at Salisbury University, where he majored in Communications and played slotback on the football team. He kicked off his career as a Marketing and Community Relations Intern with the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs, then moved into a role as a Fan Engagement Rep for the Baltimore Orioles, where he helped run game-day activations and connected with fans in a major league setting.
In 2022, he joined the Ravens’ marketing team as an assistant, where he worked for two years before stepping into his current role. Now, he leads community programs, school visits, and player appearances—making sure the team stays connected with the fans off the field, too.
To showcase Shamar’s journey, I created an infographic using Canva. It highlights six key phases of his career, including where he sees himself headed next—hopefully moving into a Director of Community Relations role or helping lead fan development at the league level.
This project reminded me how important it is to gain different experiences and stay connected with people in the industry. Shamar’s story really shows how you can build a strong career by staying dedicated, being versatile, and showing up with passion. I appreciated how honest and grounded he was in our conversation, and I definitely took away a lot of valuable advice from hearing his story.