This week in the Fortinet Intern Spotlight Series, we check back in with 2022 Summer Operations Intern, Joshua Passius, or “JP”. JP was the very first intern to be featured on the Fortinet Intern Spotlight Series , where he shared his career aspirations during the internship. He currently works at Normanside Country Club in Albany, New York. As an intern, JP worked at an AJGA event at Normanside and was able to build a connection with the owner to start a full-time career there after the internship.
What led you to the sports industry?
I was introduced to sports at a very young age. I played football until I was in 8th grade and then decided to transition into basketball, which has become my love ever since. From there, I decided to play basketball throughout high school and college. When I went to college at Middle Georgia State University, I decided to get my bachelor's Degree in sports management and graduated in 2021. Since then, I have known I wanted to continue in the sports industry.
What is your golf background?
I had no prior knowledge of golf. Before the internship, I wasn’t interested in the game of golf, but I decided to apply. After completing the internship, I understood the game of golf and grew to enjoy it. One memory from my experience was when all the interns were in the basement during the training week, and we were provided all the information we needed for the internship; I felt very overwhelmed. I questioned if I could do the internship, but it became easier as I continued working each week. During the internship, I was able to learn through different experiences, and being able to learn in person helped me gain many skills. I also had excellent teammates who were able to help me understand the game of golf.
How did you find out about the AJGA?
The AJGA found me. I constantly received notifications from Teamwork Online about the opportunities at the AJGA. I wasn’t looking for an internship at the time, as I had just graduated, but I kept receiving emails from Teamwork Online about the summer internship opportunities. One day, I decided to investigate the AJGA a little more. I thought the internship looked great, and said, "Why not?" and decided to apply, and the rest was history.
What is the next step in your career?
I am an Operations Manager at Normanside Country Club in Albany, New York. I am working on a steady work-life balance while still making connections. One of the most significant takeaways from the internship is connecting with people and building your network. In the future, I would like to stay in the management side of the sports industry but would love to transfer to basketball in some capacity because that is my first love. Some ultimate goals that I have in my career are being able to be an athletic director at a university or being able to be in the front office of a professional sports team.
What would you tell someone looking to apply to the AJGA Internship? Some takeaways during the internship.
I would encourage anyone wanting to enter the sports industry to apply for the internship. Even though the internship had some early wake-up calls and long drives to events, it felt like a vacation for me. You learn to work with people, talk to people, and be personable. Other skills I gained from this internship were learning about the game of golf, making connections, continually traveling, and experiencing new things you probably would never have experienced before. One takeaway from the internship was taking a risk. Not having any golf knowledge before the internship, I didn’t know what I was getting myself into, so it was a significant risk , and because of that, I want to tell anyone who is currently looking at the AJGA Internship - don’t be afraid of the unknown.
If you're driven to be part of this dynamic community, applications for the 2025 AJGA Internships are open now! For more insights and to apply for the #AJGAInternship, explore the AJGA Careers
webpage and Instagram channel
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