Aidan Hackney flew to London just days after receiving his associate’s degree in Turfgrass Management from the Agricultural Technical Institute (ATI) in Wooster, part of The College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CFAES). He will spend almost 6 months with the grounds crew, learning all aspects of turf management at The Grove. The Grove is the number 1 Golf Resort in England and 71st globally in Top 100 World Resorts by the Golf World Rankings. This builds on Hackney’s summer 2024 internship with the Cincinnati Reds’ grounds crew.
The program, which serves as a springboard to careers in sports turf management or horticulture, is administered by CFAES’ Ohio International Intern Program (TOP) a part of our Office of International Programs. TOP strives to provide opportunities for Americans that are interested in overseas internships to learn about turf management and other aspects of agriculture. This is possible because of our established network of industry partners abroad.
Hackney, of Painesville, OH, should enjoy the best of rural and urban England because The Grove, located in Chandler’s Cross outside Watford, Hertfordshire, is typically just under an hour away from the heart of London by transit or car.
Dr. Edward Nangle, Associate Professor of Turfgrass Science at ATII commented:
We are delighted to see Aidan take this life changing opportunity. We have had a tradition of students taking this opportunity, but it is the first time that one of our students has headed to such a prestigious resort as The Grove. We hope he has an excellent experience, and it sets him up for an outstanding career upon his return. The ability to give students these exceptional life changing experiences is a large part of why the program is recognized globally and we want to thank all at TOP [The Ohio International Intern Program] for the work they do.
The Course & Estates Manager at The Grove, Will Evans, is a 2005-2006 participant in TOP, having studied here at Ohio State and interned at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta Georgia. Evans noted ”The Ohio Program has been very beneficial to my career; hosting Aidan will be a small token of appreciation for what Ohio State gave me”