Meet Morgan Hunter | OSU HCS Alumna Class of 2019
Morgan Hunter is currently the Director of Field Services for the Quad Cities River Bandits in Davenport, Iowa.
Prior to joining our department, Morgan received her Associates Degree with a focus in Agriculture then transferred into The Ohio State University where she received her Bachelor of Science (2019) in Sustainable Plant Systems with a Turfgrass Science specialization. As a student, Morgan, was involved in a wide variety of activities from the turf club to the CFAES Student Ambassadors, where she was able to represent the turf program.
Thankfully, Morgan had the time to elaborate on what working in turfgrass is like, her time here at HCS + some advice for students considering studying turf:
How’d you first become interested in turf?
Morgan: I grew up around agriculture and going to Busch Stadium so I looked up how I could work on the field in St Louis - turfgrass science popped up and I ran with it. I knew about sophomore year of high school that I wanted to take care of athletic fields.
How did your time at Ohio State/HCS help prepare you for your career?
Morgan: I was able to build a great network with my professors and industry professionals. The professors have connections all over the world and will help the students get to experience wherever they can. I was also able to get industry experience while working for the athletic grounds while in Columbus.
How was your experience being an intern & did it help shape what you looked for in a full-time career?
Morgan: I completed internships with the Chicago Cubs, Billings Mustangs, and I was with the Indianapolis Indians before the season was cut for the pandemic. Being able to go out and apply what I had learned in the classroom was great. It made me connect more of the classroom work with everyday experiences. It did help shape what I looked for in a full-time spot being under different leadership styles.
What’s a normal day as a Director of Field Services at Quad Cities River Bandits like?
Morgan: Gamedays start by 9am and end about an hour and a half post-game. It starts with mowing, watering the skin, and any odds and ends that need done before batting practice. From there it is pre-game and then the game starts. Post-game is patching clay, nail dragging, flooding the skin, and getting set up for the next day. Off weeks it is the bigger repair projects that need done like edging, sloping everything, back filling edges, and aerating.
What have been a few highlights of your time so far in the turf industry?
Morgan: Getting to travel the country to different conferences and having such a widespread but close group of sports field managers that I can call with anything. Being a part of the inaugural women's little league crew was an awesome experience.
What advice would you give students considering studying turf and ultimately pursuing a career in the turf industry?
Morgan: I think students shouldn’t be afraid to reach out or go for an internship even if they think they don’t have the experience. The industry is very open to helping each other. Internships are important so they can tie together the classroom education with how it will be on the field.
Closing thoughts...
Morgan: Give every day your best and things will go your way, but if it doesn't, learn from it and move forward.
You can keep up with Morgan on Twitter!