Valpo Parks Summer Internship
Robert (Bo)
Experience Information
Employer: Valpo Parks & Recreation
Job Title: Operations Assistant
Major: Sport Management
Received Credit: Yes
Paid: Yes
Abroad: No
Description of the Organization
Valpo Parks has 34 full-time employees, while having hundreds of part-time/seasonal staff. Our seasonal staff is essential in carrying out daily operational duties whether it is via the golf courses, horticulture, ice rink, day camps, etc. The parks department is an entity of the City of Valparaiso, so lots of time is spent meeting with city officials/administrators, as well as third party organizations that help in our daily operations. I report to the director (Kevin Nuppnau), who oversees said operations and implementation of policies. We also have a six-member bipartisan board of park and recreation commissioners that make up the "Valpo Parks Foundation."
Description of the Tasks/Projects Completed
I spent lots of time being involved in special events and golf operations. Special events is responsible for hosting/carrying out the 35+ parks sponsored events that range from day-trips to the Popcorn Festival, arguably Valpo's largest event. I have been specifically tasked with implementing the new golf attire suppliers, "Good Good," as well as offering a hand wherever needed among other departments. My day-to-day duties can consist of taking photos at youth tennis camps, to meeting with police officers about policies, as well as traffic control for our races/more populated events.
Skills/Knowledge Gained Through The Experience
I gained many skills of responsibility, communication, leadership, and teamwork in the Parks office and particularly in my new professional role as an intern. These are skills that I feel have been improved greatly through the course of managing other part-time staff, having a good amount of experience within the organization prior to this internship and providing my knowledge to other employees who may be newer. I improved my knowledge of the Parks department's duties, as well as continuing to enhance the knowledge of Golf and its backend operations, one of my favorite sports.
Favorite Part of the Experience
My favorite part of this internship was surprisingly the 12+ hour days that are in place for our larger events. Seeing the sheer amount of manpower that is in place for events like our 4th of July celebration, among others, is interesting to see and makes me proud to be a contributing member. Being present for the planning, setup, and teardown makes it easy to take pride in your work and continue to do the best work you can. The camaraderie among other staff members during these events is always fun, and you feel very accomplished after the long hours and happy patrons giving the department positive feedback.
How the Experience Influenced Future Career Goals
This experience has helped me realize what my future professional goals are, some of which include working in the golf industry. I have been lucky enough to receive a job offer in golf in a managerial position, so I am excited to put my best foot forward and continue my career with Valpo Parks, and work alongside peers who I have known for an extended period of time, gaining knowledge and skills in as many departments as possible.
Internship Format
In Person