Big Red Interview: Chelsea Gross

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Big Red: What is your major/year are you at Monmouth College?
Chelsea Gross: Physical Education- Non-teaching. I am a seniorat Monmouth College

Big Red: What is your summer internship?Chelsea Gross: I worked for the Peoria Chiefs Minor LeagueBaseball Team

Big Red: How did you learn about this internship?Chelsea Gross: I knew about other classmates who did theirinternships for other minor league teams, and I remember going to the PeoriaChiefs games when I was younger and really liked the environment and Peoria soI thought I would give it a shot.

Big Red: Why did you take this internship?Chelsea Gross: I thought it was a great opportunity and my trainerBob Foster said it would be very beneficial to me and thought it would be agreat experience. I knew this would be a great start to get familiar with whatmy future occupation may entail.

Big Red: Your primary job duties/responsibilities are?Chelsea Gross:My job is to mainly promote the Chiefs throughout the Peoria and surroundingcommunities throughout the week. I also am very involved with the crowd duringthe games, such as doing baseball chants to get the crowd excited, throwingT-shirts, and doing on-field games during the innings to keep the crowdentertained. Each game has different events that happen at the ballpark and itis one of my responsibilities to make sure everything is set up right and thenis executed as planned. It is very busy most of the time because there are somany events that take place during each game that need to be ran smoothly whilekeeping the crowd happy and entertained.

Big Red: Whatis the best part of your internship?Chelsea Gross: Everything. This internship had no negativeaspects. I would have to say our “team” had a lot of fun during the games whileentertaining the crowd and cheering on our team.

Big Red: What is the most challenging part of yourinternship? Chelsea Gross: Definitely getting everything set up on timeand having everyone on the same page. We have so many exciting things thathappen almost every inning and there are about five to six of us on field whoneed to all communicate and execute together in order to make sure things runright. I do not think that everyone knows how much we do behind the scenes tomake sure the crowd is happy and also representing the Chiefs positively.

Big Red: What is one thing your team/teammates/coaches atMonmouth College taught you that helped you with your internship?Chelsea Gross: Teamwork, hard work, and respect. You areconstantly working with many different people with different opinions ondifferent levels. I work with the owner of the Peoria Chiefs, my boss, and manyco-workers who are all working together to keep the Chiefs honorablereputation. Being a part of a team has also taught me how to be a hard workerand to give 100%. It takes a lot of hard work to be involved with a minorleague Class A baseball team, affiliated with the Chicago Cubs. We are tryingto promote a positive background for the Chiefs to continue our connection withthe Chicago Cubs. There are many games in a row each week that I am constantlyworking endless hours with a large amount of people while also having to reportback to my boss and then the owner is not always the easiest task to do. Bybeing a member of the Monmouth College basketball team I have learned how to respectothers. I have a head coach, and many assistant coaches as well as my teammatesand opposing members. Being respectful is something you are taught when you area member of the Monmouth College Women’s basketball team no matter how tough itgets. We are a team and how we act comes back on the coaches, our team, and ourcollege. It is the same with a job, I am on a team and I have to show respecttowards my co-workers, my boss, and the Chiefs in order to work in aconstructive environment which makes it easier to get work done and to keep apositive reputation for the community.

Big Red: What's one thing you've learned that youare taking back to your team/teammates/coaches at Monmouth College?
Chelsea Gross: To be a good and constructive leader. I am asenior now and after working for the Chiefs this summer I have developed betterleadership skills that I plan to carry out through my last season as a memberof the Monmouth College Women’s Basketball team.

Big Red: How is this internship going to prepare you foryour future?ChelseaGross: It will help me get a taste of what my future occupation is going toentail. What skills I need to work on and others that I need to keep workinghard at. It has also helped to show me what I really am interested in doing andother things that are not down my path. This internship has been a veryimportant learning experience for me that I will use down the road to help medevelop into a successful individual in the work force.