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PROFILE: Tennis Teams at Marietta College

With an undergraduate enrollment around 1,400 students, there is not much on the Marietta College campus that goes unnoticed. It could be assumed that all groups get publicized similarly; however that is not that case for one organization.

The Marietta men’s and women’s tennis teams compete every year in a rugged Ohio Athletic Conference, yet rarely are thought of when it comes to athletics on campus.

“To be honest, I didn’t even know we had tennis teams here,” said Marietta College sophomore John Lucore.

Almost everyone is familiar with everything from College Union Board activities to the employees at Gilman, so why is a varsity sport on the low spot on the totem pole?

“I think it comes down to people not really being sure how the sport works, and people aren’t going to come watch something that confuses them,” said Marietta College sophomore and men’s tennis member Josh Patterson.

For each match six players from each team play an individual singles contest as well as three double matches. The winner of each is awarded a point, and the team with the most points out of nine is declared the winner.

Confusion of how exactly to watch the game also comes into consideration for a lack of attention for the teams.

“I think people are unsure when to applaud. It’s more like golf, you clap after a point, not during the action. You’re not going to bring a cowbell or anything like to that watch a match,” said Patterson.

Uncertainty of the game at times has led to sparse turnouts for home contests for the Pioneers.

“I think our biggest fans could very well be the trainers,” said Patterson jokingly.

The low turnout though has not stopped the team from competing. During the off-season the two teams practice at a local indoor club with a former collegiate stand-out who offers lessons. Once the season rolls around, the team is on the court six days a week, sometimes more than once a day.

With the OAC season fast approaching, the two teams have been on the court non-stop preparing for the thick of the schedule. The teams call the Beren Tennis Center home for their home matches. The Center, which opened in 2002, is a top notch-facility that is not only open to the team, but faculty and students as well.

Patterson, who has been playing since age 12, weighed in on the 2010 campaign.  “I would like to win all of our non-conference matches, and compete and hopefully win a few in the OAC.”

EDITOR’S NOTE:  This article is by Chris Miller, a Media Writing Two student at Marietta College.  If you are interested in writing for Writing on the Mall, send an e-mail to Patrick_H@writingonthemall.net.

Career Center, Internships Help Find Your Passion

As students, we all are striving for one common goal after our time at school: a job we’re passionate about. The path we take to get there however is different for everyone.

High grade point average, extracurricular activities, sports teams and clubs all enhance our appearance from an employer’s standpoint. There is a way you can set yourself apart from others though with how you spend your summers.

“A summer internship can give you the chance to really get involved with an area you are interested in, while it can also do wonders for your résumé,” Marietta College Career Center Internship coordinator Bill Fournier.

Opposed to flipping burgers, summer internships tasks vary from following professionals in the field, to working on projects with other interns. They can really open your eyes to your future and allow you to make decisions about what you want to do.

“I had an internship last year, and I learned so much about my field,” said sophomore John Lucore, who had an internship with Range Resources during last summer.  The geology major didn’t just make copies and fill coffee cups like many believe interns do.

“Every day I did something different. I followed people around that described everything they were doing. The internship really helped me understand the company as a whole, and it got me involved with my field early on. The pay wasn’t bad either,” said Lucore.

While Lucore might have got paid for his work, others might not be so lucky. Most of the internships for summer time, are for college credit only, and offer no, to very little pay.

“Some students might just go back to summer jobs because they fear that not making any money will hurt them in the wallet. In the long run though, the experiences you take away from a good internship will certainly be worth more than the money you would make in one summer,” said Fournier.

An internship also allows you to see what your interests are in the job market. The common perception is that, since I don’t know what I want to do as a career, I don’t know what internship to choose. However, a great internship can really assist your career path. The possibility is always open that you could find a hidden talent, or something you are really enjoy and in the process learn essential skills along the way.
After your successful summer of dedication and work, you will also have networked yourself with employers and belong to a very select in crowd. Performing well with your boss not only allows you to possibly obtain a job with that company in the future, but it also allows your supervisor to send your résumé and talk highly of you to other colleagues.

The Career Center has various tools to help you try and land a summer internship. On their website, which you can find from the department site on marietta.edu, there are tips for résumé building and sites with listing of internship openings. The Career Center, located on the top floor of the Gilman Student Center is open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

This article was written by Chris Miller, a student taking Media Writing Two at Marietta College.  Look for more articles from the class to appear on Writing on the Mall in the coming weeks.  If you are interested in writing for Writing on the Mall, please e-mail patrick_h at writingonthemall dot net.