Ben Ramirez was the lead communications host for the 2021 SEC Cross Country Championships, managing communications efforts in collaboration with the SEC. The event was held at Gans Creek Cross Country Course, the home course for Mizzou Cross Country.
May 9, 2022
Contact: Deidra Ashley, ashleyde@missouri.edu
A Los Angeles native, University of Missouri student Ben Ramirez initially had dreams of writing for his hometown newspaper, the Los Angeles Times. His pursuit of that dream led him to MU, where he took advantage of the hands-on learning at the Missouri School of Journalism.
After interning in the Mizzou Athletics strategic communications office, Ramirez shifted his emphasis from newspaper to strategic communications. He also had a new goal in mind: making it to the big leagues.
The soon-to-be-graduate has already landed a dream job with Major League Baseball’s Kansas City Royals and is splitting time between the Royals and Mizzou Athletics — all while working to complete his degree.
Learn more about Ramirez’s journey at Mizzou, which included winning championships and lifting trophies to traveling across the country with some of the university’s most successful athletic programs.
Why did you choose Mizzou?
I’ll be honest — coming to Mizzou was not my original plan. But when I came to campus for a visit, I had an immediate gut feeling that this is this was the place for me.
How did you get involved at Mizzou Athletics?
I started in 2019 as the youngest of 20 student interns. I made it a point to stay by people's hips at all times and try to understand how they did their job and why they made the decisions they made.
During the pandemic, I took on a bigger role — managing track and field. I didn’t have too much hand-holding and had to figure it out as I went. Then, through some staffing changes, I was put in charge of baseball. On top of a full class schedule, that job was my personal Missouri Method equivalent, because I had no choice but to figure out how to do the job — and fast.
How did you end up working with one of the nation’s most successful wrestling programs while at Mizzou?
My experience with the baseball program led me to take on an even bigger role: picking up communications responsibilities for our Big 12 Champion wrestling program. The past eight months have been both life-changing and career-changing for me. I learned how to do the job, work with coaches on a day-to-day basis, be the spokesperson for the team and the voice of Mizzou Wrestling on social media. It's an experience I'm going to take with me for the rest of my life.
What advice do you have for current and future Tigers who want a similar Mizzou experience?
My biggest piece of advice is to be annoyingly persistent. You don't have to be a national champion. You don't have to be a valedictorian. But if you show people where your dreams and aspirations are, if you're setting those lofty expectations for yourself and you continue to work hard, you're going to set yourself up for success.
Why are you proud to be a Tiger?
There's just something about Mizzou. It's intangible.
It's the people that I’ve met, the opportunities that Mizzou affords its students, and the care and thought everyone here pours into you to make you a better student.
I will always come back to Mizzou and show off this campus and town to everybody I bring with me. I never want to leave Columbia — it's a town that just sucks you in and has some sort of magic that just makes people fall in love with every little facet of it.
