Internship Spotlight: Marc Mitchell ’22

Name: Marc Mitchell

Major: Global Commerce, Concentration in Health, Exercise, and Sports Studies

Class Year: 2022

Organization Name: Acushnet Company – Titleist

Intern Title: Golf Ball Fitting and Education Specialist

Describe your internship roles, responsibilities, and significant contributions

My role as an intern for Titleist was to help educate golfers across the Metro-Atlanta, Augusta, and Athens, Georgia region on the Titleist golf ball line and help pick the right golf ball for each player. As there are varying skill levels of golfers and eight different golf balls in the product line, it was my job to have a conversation with a player about their games and assess certain factors to select the right piece of equipment for them. Secondary responsibilities included expanding brand awareness and being a communicator between the brand and the customers as well as growing the relationship between the brand and its partners and clients. A position like this helps Titleist loyalists feel like they are valued, so we as interns work to extend those relationships and build new ones. Over the course of the internship, I communicated with regional sales representatives and their accounts to schedule 55 fitting events. The outcomes of this work include improving sales numbers in the short and long term by investing in relationships with players and accounts.

How did your internship aid in your career exploration or decision-making?

Working in the golf industry has been a goal of mine for a long time, and this internship led me in the direction in which I want to go. An internship can obviously tell you what you might want out of a career, but it can also tell you what you might not want. Thankfully, in my case, I had a very positive experience and planned to pursue a career in the golf industry. I was able to build strong relationships with people within the company which was very helpful during my job search.

What advice do you have for future interns?

One goal I had going into the internship was finding the answer to, “How can I stand out from these other 26 interns?” The two ways I began to answer this question were to 1) Over-communicate and 2) Complete my tasks in a consistent and timely manner. The positive feedback I received was precisely about these two methods. Search for ways you can go above and beyond with the tasks given to you; be creative in the ways in which you think something can be done more thoroughly, effectively, and efficiently.

Now being hired by Titleist and having received a lot of feedback on my process, the biggest piece that helped was constant, clear, and effective communication. Connecting with as many people as you can and working on developing those relationships through great communication goes a very long way. I ended up being interviewed by my boss from my internship, the manager of the department I will be working in, and the VP of Golf Ball Marketing, all of which I had previously developed relationships. Building these relationships builds trust, and I can proudly say that these points helped me land the job.

Aside from your internship, are there other tools, resources, or programs that have supported your career exploration?

Denison alumni have been very helpful in my career exploration, in particular Frederick Waddell. I have found that not only are they everywhere across all sectors, but they also want to help. As part of the golf team, we have our own special alumni network which was been very helpful as well in my career exploration. Additionally, David Snider in the Knowlton Center has given me a lot of advice and help and is something I am truly grateful for.

By Marc Mitchell
Marc Mitchell Co-Captain