Since the inception of the Tarp Skunks in 2020 the Tarp Skunks organization has had almost 30 interns walk through the front office doors at Diethrick Park. With a summer jam packed with 25 home games in June and July, the role of an intern is vital to the overall success of the game-day operation. However, being an intern with the Tarp Skunks is just a stepping stone in the professional careers of many of the interns who are here for the summer. With that being said, we thought it would be appropriate to begin our new series of “Where Are They Now?” with one of the first interns ever in the Tarp Skunks organization. Jackson Fowler started as intern during his time at JCC in 2020 and was with the organization in a number of different roles throughout college until 2022. Jackson now has worked his way to the Harrisburg Senators, Double-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals, working as a Ticket Account Executive.

 

Can you share with us your journey from being an intern at the Tarp Skunks to where you are in your career now?

          I started as an intern in the fall of 2020 and the spring of 2021 working on promoting the inaugural season of the team as a student at JCC. When the season was beginning after the school year, I was promoted to the box office manager. After that summer, I started my education at SUNY Brockport. During that school year, I was asked to come back for the next season as the operations manager. In my senior year at Brockport, I was required to do a 9-credit internship in order to graduate. I was able to find a position as a ticket sales intern for the Harrisburg Senators, the Double-A Affiliate of the Washington Nationals. After graduating and completing my internship with the team, I was asked to stay on full time as a ticket account executive where I currently am in my career. 

What specific skills or experiences did you gain during your internship with the Tarp Skunks that you found valuable in your current role?

         I was able to learn more about the ticket sales process during my time with the Tarp Skunks. I was also able to learn more about how a front office operates both in preparation for a season, and during games. The biggest thing I learned during my internship that I found valuable was how much time and preparation goes into working an entire season. If I did not learn that during my internship with the Tarp Skunks, I would not have been prepared for a Minor League baseball season. 

Were there any particular projects or tasks during your internship that stood out to you as impactful or influential in shaping your career path?

          I would say that many things helped shape my career path from my internship. Making season ticket sales helped me get more accustomed to the sales process, and thus pushed me towards ticket sales. However, much like many internships, you do just about everything. There were a few times where I was the mascot Whiffy, that helped me realize that I like acting as a mascot, and making people laugh. I remember when I had to fill in for our public address announcer, and I learned how to create a home field advantage when announcing the home team versus the away team.

What advice would you give to current interns or recent graduates who aspire to follow a similar career path?

Take as many opportunities as you can. If you have the opportunity for an internship, take it. As I stated, you do many different things around the ballpark as an intern. It’s valuable to learn what you want to do. It’s also valuable to learn what you don’t want to do. You might think you don’t want to work in baseball, but until you work for a team, entertain the fans, and take in the realization that you helped make people’s nights, you’ll never know. 

 

Stay tuned for our next edition for “Where Are They Now?” featuring another one of our amazing former interns. Contact us at (716) 705-5600 or email christian@tarpskunks.net and get your start as a Summer 2024 Intern!