My name is Lillian Ryan, and I am a senior at Chapman University. This summer, I was a game day operations intern for the Orange County Riptide. The OC Riptide is a summer collegiate baseball team that competes in the California Collegiate League. I found this internship on LinkedIn, applied, and got the position. My internship with the Orange County Riptide helped build my knowledge of baseball operations and gave me valuable experience I will take with me as I pursue a career in sports. A typical game day lasted about 6 hours at the Great Park Stadium in Irvine, California. I had several roles that differed in each game. The first role was running fan engagement events, coordinating on-field games, and promotions mid-innings to engage fans. The next role was production assistance, which involved managing the visuals, scoring, and stats displayed on the board for fans. Lastly, I worked with our ticketing system and helped welcome people to the stadium. That part was exciting because you never knew if you were talking with someone like an MLB scout. In addition to my duties, I supported other departments to help ensure successful baseball games.

During my internship, I often used what I had learned in my communications courses at Chapman. For example, in one game, we hosted the Irvine Chamber of Commerce, where members were invited to sit in our V.I.P. deck and watch the Riptide game. I was lucky enough to be the host for this event and was able to greet and socialize with these professionals. Each person had a different communication style, and utilizing what I have learned from my interpersonal communication class, I could adjust to each person and have a pleasant conversation with them. I got to talk to them about baseball, their jobs, their personal lives, and my own goals. Hosting this event was a highlight of my internship as I got to use what I have learned in the School of Communication.

The biggest lesson I learned from this internship is that however much you put into something is what you get out of it. I have big goals of working professionally in sports, and I knew this internship would teach me valuable skills to achieve those goals. I was motivated to do more than what was needed each game day and always volunteered when given the opportunity. My efforts paid off in the end, as I gained knowledge to help me continue working in the sports field this upcoming school year.

Working for the Orange County Riptide this summer opened my eyes to what my future could hold, and I am so thankful to have been able to spend my summer there.