From Political Science to Petco Park: An SBS Alumna’s Unexpected Path to the San Diego Padres

When Camryn Harper graduated from the University of Arizona in 2020, she thought she knew exactly where her career was going.

As a political science major, her plan looked a lot like many other students in the field: move to Washington, D.C., pursue a master’s degree and eventually work in international relations or politics. 

Then the pandemic hit.

“I was originally planning to go to Georgetown for my master’s in D.C.,” Camryn said. “But once everything went online, it made me rethink whether it was worth moving across the country and taking out loans when the whole point of the program is really being in D.C.”

Camryn graduated from the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences with a bachelor’s degree in political science in 2020, and completed her master’s degree in public policy in 2021.

While at the U of A, Camryn stayed heavily involved on campus. She participated in the Model United Nations, worked with the Associated Students of the University of Arizona and was active in Greek life as a member of Gamma Phi Beta. But one early internship ended up shaping her career in a way she never expected.

As a freshman, Camryn interned with the Tucson Metro Chamber, working under the organization’s vice president of government affairs. It was the first time she learned about a career path that sits at the intersection of policy and the private sector.

“I had never heard of government affairs before,” Camryn said. “I thought as a political science major you either worked in government or on Capitol Hill. That internship opened my eyes to the idea that companies also have people whose job is to work with government and track policy.”

After earning her master’s degree in 2021, Camryn began working in consulting, focusing on state and local government projects across the country. The job allowed her to work with government clients and learn how policy decisions affect organizations on the ground.

Camryn later moved to the Seattle area to work for the City of Bellevue, gaining firsthand experience inside local government. But after a few years in the Pacific Northwest, she and her boyfriend were ready for a change and a sunnier climate.

That move brought her to San Diego.

At first, Camryn assumed she would continue working in local government. Instead, she started exploring government affairs roles in the private sector and began reaching out to organizations in the area that would likely have policy teams.

One of those organizations was the San Diego Padres.

“I reached out to my now-boss and asked if she’d be willing to grab coffee and talk about what it’s like working in government affairs for a sports team,” Camryn said. “I was especially interested because she’s a woman in an executive role in sports, which you don’t see as often.”

That coffee meeting eventually led to a job.

Today, Camryn works as a public affairs specialist for the Padres, managing the team’s relationships with government and community leaders across San Diego.

Her day-to-day work involves tracking legislation, coordinating with city departments and representing the organization in meetings with local officials. Because Petco Park is partially owned by the City of San Diego, the team regularly works with city leaders on projects involving the stadium and surrounding area.

“A lot of what I do is making sure we’re aware of policies that could affect us,” she said. “That could be things like labor laws, minimum wage changes or city regulations. Even if they don’t seem directly related to sports, they can still impact how teams operate.”

Camryn also works closely with the Padres Foundation, the team’s philanthropic arm, and helps represent the organization on community boards and initiatives. This foundation supports and funds children’s organizations throughout the greater San Diego and Baja community. 

For her, one of the most rewarding parts of the job has been the relationships she’s built.

“In public affairs, your job is really to build connections,” she said. “I’ve only lived in San Diego for about a year, but through this job I’ve been able to meet so many people across the city — from local leaders to community organizations.”

Looking ahead, Camryn hopes to continue building her career in public affairs, with the long-term goal of eventually leading a department of her own.

But if there’s one thing she hopes current students take away from her story, it’s that a political science degree can lead to far more career paths than many people realize.

“Almost every major company has a government affairs team,” she said. “You don’t have to work in government to use your political science degree. You can work in sports, tech, entertainment — almost any industry and still be involved in policy.”

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