Jillian Ulozas, a native of Harveys Lake in Luzerne County and a junior Turf Management major at Delaware Valley University, fulfilled a childhood dream this summer when she worked as an intern on the grounds crew for the Little League World Series in Williamsport.

Ulozas, a standout student-athlete with the DelVal softball team, was one of two college students who earned the internship and the only female working on the grounds crew during this year’s event. She was recognized in multiple television interviews, including one live TV hit with ESPN reporter Julie Foudy. As cool as being recognized for your work and talking with a U.S. Olympic gold medalist on live television can be, Ulozas found the meaning of her role and the setting for her “summer office” to be even more special.

“I grew up going to the Little League World Series because it’s close to my house,” she said. “I can remember going with my dad and him saying to me how it would be so cool if I worked here one day. When I got here, the stadium was still empty for many weeks while we were working, but then when the stadium was full and the hill was packed, and I realized 20,000 people were watching me line the field and it’s being broadcast internationally, that’s when it hit. I realized this is really cool.”

Ulozas started the internship in May after completing her sophomore year at DelVal and two months before any little leaguers arrived in Williamsport. The month-long international tournament began July 27, and the championship game was played on Aug. 25.

Leading up to the event, Ulozas arrived early in the morning and met with head groundskeeper Rob Guthrie. Guthrie taught the interns how to maintain the fields when they are not in use, and how to prep for the big event.

“Every other day, we would cut the grass, and we were working through the weekends just trying to get everything done to get the field in tip-top shape for the tournament,” she said.

Ulozas learned the maintenance schedule for the grass and the dirt and took in some of the tricks of the trade specific to the Little League World Series fields. Once the games started, she was at the fields by 7 AM every day and didn’t leave until 10 PM most nights.

“In the morning, I would start by cutting the grass at 7 AM, and then we would make sure the conditioner was spread on the fields, do clay work, water the dirt, rake and broom it, and then I would paint the lines,” she said. “There is so much that goes into all of it, and while many people think the grounds work is for aesthetics, I learned it’s equally if not more important for ensuring the safety of the athletes.”

As a turf major, the internship also fulfilled three credits for Ulozas.

“I’m just starting my junior year, so I haven’t taken many of the turf management courses yet, but I do think DelVal has taught me a lot about the value of a hard work ethic and the importance of working hard to get where you want to be,” she said. “I think this experience taught me the importance of attention to detail, consistency, and teamwork in field maintenance. The skills and knowledge I gained will be invaluable as I continue to pursue a career in turfgrass management.”

Ulozas expects this experience will be one of many stepping stones along her path to her ultimate career goal — to be a head groundskeeper at a professional sports stadium. She also hopes to help open doors for females wanting to get into an industry that has been mostly male-dominated and is grateful for the crew that she worked with that welcomed her with open arms and mentored her along the way.

“A lot of the guys I worked with there told me how happy it makes them to see a female break into the industry, and they all had nice things to say about me,” said Ulozas. “I think a lot of people, including myself, would love to see more women in the industry.”

Learn more about Delaware Valley University and how it educates students with a curriculum that emphasizes experiential learning.