Each summer, Sportsfield Specialties invites talented college students from the region to participate in internships at their Upstate New York office. It is an opportunity for the students to develop practical skills in their areas of interest gleaned from working in Sportsfield’s fast-paced office environment. We were fortunate to sit down and chat with this year’s Summer Interns and learn more about their academic interests, internship duties, and favorite pastimes.
One of these talented students is Hayley Angus of Delhi, an intern for the finance department. Hayley, a junior at SUNY Delhi, is an accounting major. She hopes to use her experience at Sportsfield toward her required credits, finish college early, and apply to graduate school. Ultimately, she aspires to become a CPA (Certified Public Accountant).
Hayley’s duties as a Finance Department Intern include completing accounts payable invoices, entering delivery service invoices, and sending out installer contract agreements for the company. She works under the supervision of Savannah Wake, Assistant Controller of Finance. Hayley said, “Savannah’s laid back and provides a lot of guidance in teaching me how to succeed within the position—she’s great.
For Hayley, there is a vast difference between being a student and an employee. She explained, “In my job, I wake up early and I feel my co-workers depend on me to show up and do well. Being a part of an office environment is new to me – I like that it prepares me for the ‘real world.’” Hayley believes in working hard and prides herself on getting the job done the “right way. In her free time, Hayley especially enjoys spending time with family. She often supports her younger siblings at sporting events and other activities. She’s also an animal lover with two dogs at home. One day, she hopes to vacation in the Bahamas to get away from the harsh NY weather.
Hayley is not the only intern working in the Finance Department this year. She is joined by Alex Tweedie of Walton, who is a senior attending Utica College. This is the third year that Alex has acted as Finance Intern at Sportsfield. Like Hayley, Alex also works with Savannah Wake. “Her attitude and energy make it easier to come into work every day,” he shared.
This year, Alex is focused primarily on Accounts Payable. In his position, he is responsible for processing invoices, coordinating weekly “check runs” to help execute payments, and tracking freight and raw material costs. He explained, “Working at Sportsfield has benefitted me with the development of my interpersonal skills and an overall knowledge of accounting.” With his academic career nearing the end, Alex is confident his experience at Sportsfield will aid him in reaching his professional goals.
Outside of the office, Alex enjoys golfing and kayaking with friends down the Delaware River. Additionally, he loves playing basketball. To round out our lineup of interns is Tyler Bruce – a junior Sport Management major at SUNY Cortland who is from Delhi, NY.
Tyler joined Sportsfield’s Marketing team in late May as a Digital Marketing Intern. In his position, he assists with scheduling social media posts, content creation, search engine optimization (SEO), and analyzing data. Tyler reports to Marketing Manager Christina Wood, who he said “is a pleasure to work with. Her creative approach to every project and task at hand is something that I admire.” He stressed that Wood’s guidance has been invaluable.
As a Delhi-native, Tyler says that he has always known about the work of Sportsfield and was confident he would benefit from an internship with the company. “I knew that I wouldn’t get a better experience anywhere else,” he said. Tyler says he’s developed insight to better understand what it feels like to work as a marketer and be part of a successful team.
Outside of work, Tyler likes to spend time with family and friends. He shared that his favorite pastimes are working out, watching sports, and playing them also. In fact, Tyler plays left field on Sportsfield’s slow-pitch softball team. He says that he dreams of visiting Bora Bora someday, and much like Hayley, insisted that anywhere warmer than New York State would be desirable.
Sportsfield’s summer interns are gaining significant knowledge and experience in their fields, which will be useful as they continue their studies and enter professional careers. Also, they have contributed as members of the team adding positive energy by working hard and supporting the good work of Sportsfield Specialties.
Written by Tyler Bruce, Digital Marketing Intern and Junior at SUNY Cortland