Internship Spotlight- John Critzos

November 17, 2014

All Institute of Applied Agriculture students pursued internships to gain experience for a-some-day dream job, but John Critzos landed a dream internship. Critzos, a second-semester Golf Course Management major, interned at the Lancaster Country Club in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Eager to land this particular job, Critzos interviewed for the position 6 months before the job started and was ecstatic when he discovered that he had gotten the internship. In the end, he says it was a win-win situation for him because he was able to fulfill his internship hours while working at the country club he had pursued since the previous fall.

Lancaster Country Club where Critzos interned.

 The internship did indeed turn out to be the dream job for Critzos. He has always wanted to go out of state, see the country, and learn how golf courses functioned under different climates, conditions, and regulations.  Lancaster Country Club, a nationally ranked club, will host the 2015 Women’s 2015 US open, making it the first time a major championship has been held in Central PA.

Critzos said he wanted “to get my hands dirty” during his internship, and that he did.Working 5-7 days week, a minimum of 8 hours per day, he definitely got his hands dirty handling a vast array of duties on the golf course to keep it playable for golfers and scenic for passersby. Day-to-day tasks for Critzos included spraying, mowing, leading the crews, watering, aerating, vertacutting, and spreading fertilizer. By far the most memorable task Critzos recalls is removing a fallen tree out of a pond.  The fallen tree was an eyesore to golfers and a hazard to pond drainage. Critzos and a coworker rowed a boat to the tree, cut it into pieces with a chainsaw, and pulled the pieces out with a workman. Admittedly labor-intensive and dangerous, the job gave Critzos pride that he and his partner managed to get the job done without issue.

This internship, more than a fun job and a source of income for Critzos, provided a great learning experience. Critzos says that attending IAA classes vastly expanded his knowledge and interning at a country club enabled him to apply the skills he learned. While Critzos may not be an expert on managing golf courses yet, he believes Lancaster Country Club had great management he could emulate.

Critzos says, “This internship was extremely valuable.  I was able to do more work than I’ve ever done at any other golf course because of the responsibilities I was given and the knowledge I gained.”

In addition, he says he met a lot of great people including golfers, golf course managers, and other golf course employees who now know Critzos as a nice, hardworking man. “Building relationships like this will definitely work in my favor for years to come,” says Critzos.

Critzos’ future looks bright because of his success during his internship. Upon graduating from the IAA, he plans to pursue full-time management work on a privately owned golf course.

The IAA is two year program where students learn the essential basics of what is needed to own or work for a farm, a landscape business, or a golf course. This program prepares students to manage challenges they may face and to be socially and economically successful despite those challenges.