| Spring 2026 Grad Spotlight |
Jacksonville native Lariel Green is building a legacy of firsts.
A first‑generation college student and a member of the inaugural cohorts of both the United States Golf Association (USGA) Pathways Launch Program and the Florida A&M University IPREX Student Cohort, which fosters diversity and mentorship in PR, Green has worked hard to overcome shyness and boldly step into big moments and opportunities, becoming a part of history.
So it is only fitting that her next chapter as a Spring 2026 graduate of the FAMU School of Journalism & Graphic Communication (FAMU SJGC) takes her to one of the most historic institutions in American sports: Pinehurst Resort, known as “The Cradle of American Golf” and the first‑ever U.S. Open anchor site.
This summer, Green will serve as a marketing intern at Pinehurst, supporting creative services, social media, and client insights as the resort prepares for upcoming championship golf events. For Green, who said she once knew little about golf, the opportunity represents both a professional milestone and personal growth.
“Golf was something new to me,” she said. “But once I started researching Pinehurst and learning the history, I realized how big this opportunity is. I’m grateful and excited to be part of such a historic company,” said Green, who received her bachelor’s degree in public relations on Saturday.
Her path to Pinehurst began through a previous invitation to join the 2025 Black Sports Business Academy, where a fellow cohort member encouraged her to apply for USGA Pathways.
After interviewing with multiple top‑ranked U.S. golf sites, including Pinehurst and Pebble Beach, she was matched with Pinehurst through a competitive ranking process. The opportunity will allow her to marry her passion for PR with a love for sports that began long before college.
A multi‑sport athlete in high school, including track, basketball, and flag football, she arrived at FAMU knowing only one thing for certain: she wanted to work in sports, somehow, someway.
“I didn’t know exactly what career I wanted, but I knew I wanted to work in sports in some capacity,” she said, ultimately landing in FAMU SJGC’s PR program.
Working with NASCAR gave Lariel Green exposure to the power of using PR and storytelling to connect with fans and build community.
During her first week at FAMU, she walked into the athletics office and asked how she could get involved. That initiative opened doors to roles in equipment management, recruiting, game operations, and media —experiences that helped her leverage the skills she learned as a FAMU SJGC student and writer for the student newspaper, The FAMUAN, to secure opportunities beyond campus.
She approached each opportunity with a open heart and mind, allowing her to experience being a marketing intern for the 2024 NASCAR Championship Weekend at Phoenix Raceway, a social media intern at Florida Citrus Sports, a public affairs/communications intern for JAX Chamber (Jacksonville), a Black Automotive Media Group/Hyundai Driving Force intern, an Emerge Student Leader with the Plank Center for Leadership in Public Relations, and a member of the winning team of the Local Initiatives Support Corporation HBCU Community Impact Pitch Competition, where she and partner Xolani Chavers earned $5,000 to launch the Rattler Recharge Fund, an initiative supporting emergency needs for FAMU students.
Green’s agility and willingness to evolve with each experience are what have built her into an emerging public relations leader—qualities her peers recognized when she was selected to be president of the nationally-recognized FAMU Public Relations Student Society of America chapter. In that role, she worked hard to ensure other students had the knowledge and insights to harness career development opportunities, such as those she has had throughout her time on “The Hill,” an effort that was deeply personal because she was all too familiar with navigating the unknown.
“Being PRSSA president allowed me to help other PR students get connected,” she said. “A lot of students don’t know about the scholarships, internships, and national opportunities available. I wanted to make sure they did, because navigating these last four years wasn’t always easy for me. My family didn’t know much about college, but their support, mentors, and colleagues helped me along the way.”
One of those mentors was FAMU SJGC Professor Clarence Fowler, whose professional background in sports media, such as ESPN and Bleacher Report, as well as his research interests in audience and fan communication and engagement, provided Green with a guiding light.
“Lariel is a phenomenal student with a bright future ahead of her,” Fowler said. “I remember when she was very quiet and would be behind her computer for the majority of class. But she really came into her own in the program and began leading her peers by example through the quality of her work and the internships she participated in. She’s a prime example of a student who has taken every possible skill from the program and applied them, which is reflected in the wide variety of opportunities she’s had. That will make her valuable for any employer and represents the right skill set to have to break into the sports industry.”
With newfound confidence in her calling and her abilities, Green has created a unique vision for her future. She plans to blend all that she learns from Pinehurst with the tools she gained from FAMU SJGC, FAMU Athletics, and other programs to create a career that allows her to emerge as a leader in sports media partnerships and community relations.
“I want to use my passion for sports, media, and service to create opportunities for others and help bring people together,” she said. “I love being a part of something that connects people from every walk of life. It just brings joy to me.”
Gallery
Lariel Green believes in the power of opportunity. The photos above represent the diverse ways she worked to prepare for her career through internships and professional development programs.
