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Printer-Friendly ModeLoons hire SVSU students
Alum and current student brought on as interns for summer at Dow Diamond
June 25, 2007 —
"Play ball!"
For two SVSUers, that phrase has become an everyday part of their vocabularies. Cale Wasserman and Ben Gurnee couldn't have foreseen what the summer had in store for them - an internship with mid-Michigan's only professional baseball team: the Great Lakes Loons.
Wasserman learned of the opportunity while surfing the Web and eventually he found the Loons Web site. Wanting to pursue a career in professional sports, he decided to give it a shot.
After attending a job fair, exchanging several e-mails, and two interviews, he landed the job.
Business major Gurnee had a different approach. Instead of waiting until the jobs were posted, he contacted the Loons as soon as he heard about a minor league team coming to Midland.
"I knew it was early and there was a lot of work that needed to begin before they could even think about hiring a staff," Gurnee said. "I wanted them to know who I was right away."
Much like Wasserman, Gurnee was interviewed twice before receiving a call informing him that he was hired.
The two interns say every day at the ballpark is different. The tasks range from working with former Dow CEO and president William Stravropoulos to giving tours of the stadium to first and second graders.
"A normal day for us is movin' and shakin'," Wasserman said. "There are a million different things we could be doing at any given time."
On game days, the duration of the job lasts anywhere from 9 a.m. until 10:30 p.m. Even though the hours are long, Gurnee says he looks forward to each new day.
"While it may seem like a long day, it flies by and usually I can't wait to get back to work the next day," he said.
Although baseball may not be their personal sport of choice, both Wassermann and Gurnee find the internship is a valuable experience for anyone looking to pursue a career in professional sports.
"The leverage you can gain from an opportunity like this will almost guarantee you the position over someone who is coming in blind," Gurnee said.
Wasserman, a SVSU alum, reflected on how the job relates to the classroom.
"It is truly an amazing job and a place where I am learning things that can not be taught in a classroom," he said. "I am learning lessons and working with smart people. It is worth it."
The Loons' season is now in full swing, and no jobs are currently open. However, next year there may be openings in promotions, stadium operations and production. Wasserman encourages other students seeking internships to consider the Loons and enjoy the perks of working in the park.
"We are outside in the summer all the time," he said. "You can't beat it."