I began my master’s program straight out of college. However, after two more years of school while earning my M.S. from Penn State, I knew that to become a well-rounded professional I would need practical experience in addition to my academic training. In 2014 I completed an internship at Citi Field under Bill Deacon before moving on to two management positions in professional baseball, with the Gwinnett Braves and Pittsburgh Pirates. I also worked one year building and renovating baseball fields in my home state of Wisconsin. I value the daily grind of managing a playing surface, and I continue to lean on this practical experience to support my research efforts.