INDIANAPOLIS – The Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) announced on Wednesday the addition of Makayla Ashford and Eugene Cooper to the Conference office staff as interns for the 2025-26 academic year, along with the return of Bishop Byrd who started in February.
“One of the most successful initiatives that we’ve embarked upon in the GLVC over the past several years is our internship program,” said GLVC Commissioner Jim Naumovich. “We’ve been very fortunate to secure some extremely bright, talented, and hard-working, young people to work on behalf of our member institutions in the conference office through the NCAA Division II Strategic Priorities Fund. This year’s internship class of Bishop, Eugene, and Makayla certainly uphold the lofty standards of their predecessors.”
A native of South Holland, Illinois, Byrd graduated from Kentucky Wesleyan College in December 2024 with a Bachelor of Science degree in fitness and sports management and minor in business administration. During his time at KWC, Byrd gained valuable experience serving as the Director of Athletic Communications Intern while also competing as a student-athlete on the Panthers’ football team. Byrd is currently pursuing a Master of Science degree in sport management at the University of Indianapolis.
Ashford – originally from Bolingbrook, Illinois – graduated with a Bachelor of Science in sport management from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in May 2025. From May to August 2024, she served as an Athletics Intern with the Urbana Park District, where she supported program supervision, event development, budget preparation, and marketing initiatives. For most of the 2024-25 academic year, Ashford co-produced the university’s annual Central Black Student Union Variety Show, titled “Haus of Chaos”, where she managed event planning, execution, and promotional strategies. She has also earned experience through assisting with the 2025 National Wheelchair Basketball Association (NWBA) Tournament and serving as a Street Team Member with the Fighting Illini Marketing Team from September 2023 to January 2024.
Cooper – a native of Monrovia, Liberia who grew up in Indianapolis – graduated from the University of Indianapolis with a Bachelor of Science degree in sports management and a minor in business administration in May 2025. He has worked in various roles at other organizations, contributing to high-profile events like the 2025 NCAA Women’s Basketball Final Four, 2024 NBA All-Star Game, 2025 WNBA All-Star Game, 2024 Big 10 Football Championship, and Special Olympics. Cooper returns to UIndy to further his education as he pursues a Master of Business Administration degree in AI analytics and leadership.
With the GLVC, the trio will help with league championships in multiple ways, including soliciting food sponsors; assisting with championship preparation and execution; organizing in-game promotions; gathering data for research projects; and helping with social media initiatives and GLVCSN productions.
Ashford and Cooper began their tenure on August 1 at the annual GLVC Football Kickoff in Lebanon, Illinois.