Team 1

Hayden Matthews

School: Syracuse University

Major: Sport Management

IJGA Alum: No

Why the IJGA Internship: I chose this internship because golf is a sport I’m passionate about, and I wanted to gain real-world experience in the industry. It also gives me a chance to explore whether a long-term career in golf is the right path for me.

Hannah Salzmann

School: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Major: Finance and Accountancy

IJGA Alum: No

Why the IJGA Internship: I chose this internship because it is an amazing opportunity to help grow the love of the game golf, and learn how tournaments or large events work behind the scenes.

Lexi Schulman

School: Central Michigan University

Major: Communication and minor in Sport Management

IJGA Alum: Yes

Why the IJGA Internship: I chose this internship because I want to get more experience in working in golf. Golf has always been a big part of my life, and I know I want to keep it that way, whether I’m playing or working in the sport. Growing up, I played in a lot of tournaments, but the ones I liked the most were always the IJGA events. The staff at those tournaments were really friendly and made everything more fun and enjoyable. That had a big impact on me, and now I want to be that kind of person for younger golfers. I want to help make their experience just as good as mine was when I was their age.

Ryan Sturtewagen

School: Indiana University

Major: Finance and Accounting

IJGA Alum: Yes

Why the IJGA Internship: I chose this internship to help grow the game of golf with younger kids. I want to be able to help junior golfers have the same great experiences that I did through IJGA. This internship will also allow me to develop valuable communication and management skills that will be useful to me for the rest of my career.

Team 2

Jack Bank

School: Indiana University

Major: Marketing

IJGA Alum: No

Why the IJGA Internship: Driven by my passion for golf and a dream to build a career in the industry, I chose to work for the IJGA this summer to gain meaningful, hands-on experience.

Bailey Bitbabo

School: Loyola University of Chicago

Major: Sports Management

IJGA Alum: Yes

Why the IJGA Internship: I chose the IJGA internship because of my deep passion for golf and my desire to gain more expereince in a field that aligns with my interests. As an alum of IJGA, I already had a strong connection to the organization and knew firsthand the quality of its programs, staff, and values. This made it a natural fit for my career development goals. I also saw this internship as a valuable opportunity to expand my network within the sports industry and learn from respected individuals in a high-performance environment.

Caroline Esposito

School: University of Michigan Ann Arbor

Major: Economics, Business Minor

IJGA Alum: No

Why the IJGA Internship: I chose this internship because I am still deciding where my professional interests lie within the broader field of business, and this opportunity with IJGA allows me to get a taste of sports marketing – an area I am interested in learning more about. I’m especially excited about the real world applications of teamwork, communication, and responsibility this role will offer. Additionally, as someone who values personal growth, I look forward to improving my skills in the lifelong game of golf while contributing to an organization that blends sport and business.

Jacob Gupta

School: Boston College

Major: Finance

IJGA Alum: Yes

Why the IJGA Internship: Accompanying my interest in sports business, I loved my time at IJGA as a player and would love to give back to the place that was fundamental to my childhood.

Team 3

Kelsey O’Connor

School: Augustana College

Major: Kinesiology and Marketing

IJGA Alum: Yes

Why the IJGA Internship: I chose the IJGA Internship because I am passionate about golf and supporting junior players. As someone who played in the IJGA, I know how impactful tournaments and positive experiences on the course can be. This role also gives me valuable hands-on experience and opens more opportunities to build a career in the golf and sports industries.

Kayla Sayyalinh

School: Southern Illinois University, Carbondale

Major: Exercise Science

IJGA Alum: No

Why the IJGA Internship: I chose the IJGA internship because it brings together a lot of things I’m passionate about. I’ve been involved in golf for years, and I’ve always enjoyed working with young athletes. IJGA stood out because it’s all about developing junior golfers as players and people. I saw it as a great opportunity to learn, contribute, and grow.

Andrew Sloan

School: Georgian Court University

Major: Sports Management

IJGA Alum: No

Why the IJGA Internship: I have a dream of pursuing a career in professional sports, and specifically the PGA tour. I believe the IJGA can help me reach those goals with this opportunity!

Jack Townsend

School: University of Iowa

Major: Business Management

IJGA Alum: No

Why the IJGA Internship: I chose the Illinois Junior Golf Association summer internship because it offered a unique opportunity to blend my passion for sports with my interests in management and youth development. I was particularly drawn to the organization’s strong reputation and its commitment to promoting character, competition, and growth among young athletes.

Team 4

Sam Colón

School: Robert Morris University

Major: News and Sports Communication

IJGA Alum: No

Why the IJGA Internship: I chose this internship to get experience working in the sport business industry. Being a student athlete I’ve always wanted to work in the industry. Also for my love of the game of golf.

Dana Euske

School: Lewis University

Major: Digital Media Journalism

IJGA Alum: Yes

Why the IJGA Internship: I want to stay in the sports industry, and IJGA is a great organization which will give me experience in this field.

Anna Fagan

School: University of Illinois – Chicago

Major: Psychology

IJGA Alum: No

Why the IJGA Internship: I chose this internship because it will allow me to expand and share my current knowledge and love of golf to a more professional setting.

Clark Turk

School: Indiana University

Major: Sports Marketing and Management

IJGA Alum: No

Why the IJGA Internship: To get more experience within the sports industry, and to work and learn along side others who share similar goals.

Communications