Mohegan — Working in the media was never on Tai Pagan’s radar. The New London native is majoring in business administration at Waterbury’s Post University and is the first Latina to receive the school’s Malcolm Baldrige School of Business Scholarship.

Pagan was surprised, then, when her basketball coach at Post, Jon Plefka, called before this WNBA season asking if she’d like to be the school’s student intern as part of a partnership with the Connecticut Sun and interview the Sun’s players after home games.

“I concentrate on international business, so I never really thought about interviewing (people),” Pagan said. “Now that I have been doing it, I can definitely see this as a career. I want to take some courses in broadcasting and interviewing, so I’m excited.”

The Sun and Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment entered into a partnership with Post last April with the school being the team’s jersey patch sponsor from 2022-26. The partnership also provides post-secondary education, career development and continuing education benefits to Mohegan Sun and Connecticut Sun front office team members and their families.

Pagan, who will be a senior this fall, has been in the honors program since her freshman year at Post. She became interested in business because she saw it as a way to see the world.

“I chose a concentration in international business because I went to Italy and I loved it so much,” Pagan said. “I don’t really have anything specific in mind, but I love traveling. I’ve traveled my entire life for basketball, AAU travel basketball, and I love visiting new places. So I definitely want to travel as a job.”

Pagan may not have experience as a reporter but she’s more than familiar with her subject. A former Class LL all-state pick, she helped the New London High School girls’ basketball team reach three state finals at Mohegan Sun Arena, winning the 2017 Class LL championship. She was The Day’s 2019 All-Area Girls’ Basketball Player of the Year.

Pagan has started 49 of 53 games over two seasons at Post (the pandemic canceled what would have been her sophomore year). She’s also a Sun fan and attends games.

“The Connecticut Sun are so close to my heart, so close to my home,” Pagan said. “I thought (interviewing players) would be so cool to do. And I feel like I’m such an approachable person.

“I get to come up with my own questions to ask them. They also give me fan questions to ask as well, so I have some of those. It’s been really cool.”

It’s not always easy to come up with original questions, as Pagan has found out. She keeps a notebook with her and writes down ideas before and during games. She was also a bit intimidated during her first interview with Sun veteran Brionna Jones.

“(It was) definitely nerve-wracking (at first),” Pagan said. “I was nervous but still excited.

“I want (the questions) to be special, you know. I don’t want them to be any sort of questions that they won’t remember. Watching other WNBA games and NBA games, I watch reporters and see how they approach certain questions.”

Pagan’s favorite player to interview so far — Natisha Hiedeman.

“She’s such a cool player,” Pagan said. “She’s my favorite player. She was like the fourth or fifth person I got to interview. She’s just a wonderful, wonderful player. Very contagious energy. I just love her vibe. Having a conversation with her was really, really dope. She’s really relaxed and comfortable to talk to. So I loved talking to her.

“I definitely want to pursue this as a career or a side (job). I definitely love doing this.”

n.griffen@theday.com