Mathews’ hard at work at the Country Club grounds.
Since a very young age, Meghna Mathews has watched her grandmother’s assisted living business prosper. She admiringly observed the challenges and hard work that filled her grandmother with reward and accomplishment. This inspiring influence encouraged Mathews to venture toward the business industry.
Mathews, a second-year student pursuing a certificate in Agricultural Business Management at the Institute of Applied Agriculture, searched for an internship that would allow her to participate, hands on, in the agricultural industry. To satisfy this, Mathews spent the summer working at Woodmont Country Club, in Rockville, Maryland. As a part of the grounds department, Mathews began her days at 6 a.m. and worked until roughly 2:30 in the afternoon. She emphasized the importance of arriving on time because it allows the crew to get their work done before the temperature became unbearable. One of her favorite, routine jobs included weed whacking because she loved the satisfaction and progress that the end result displayed.
Additionally, Mathews and her fellow interns were granted immense creative freedom when tasked with designing a children’s garden. She lit up when describing how the raised bed will appeal to the five senses, making it an irresistible centerpiece for the country club. Not only did Mathews perform grounds maintenance, but she also watch the repair of a truck that had run into a pond and exploded! Her work was worth it when she got to see President Obama on the job!
After completing her certificate, Mathews plans to pursue a bachelor's degree in Environmental Economics. Her dream job would be working for the World Bank or FDA where she could help undertake environmental issues by managing the finance of natural resources.
Mathews’ internship allowed her to broaden her knowledge in terms of labor in this industry. Furthermore, her hard work and newly gained equipment usage skills will save her money in the future. A mowing, weed whacking, and leaf blowing master, Mathews states that, “I will always be able to maintain my lawns alone, and without hiring anyone!”
She found it rewarding to be able to apply her classroom education to a real life scenario. At her internship, she felt prepared, intelligent and like she had a good grasp on the material. The other interns and job activities pushed her to heighten her collaborative and time management efforts.
All in all, Mathews’ internship experience confirmed the lessons that she learned from her grandmother. Mathews’ passion for environmental issues mimic her grandmother’s initiative, driven characteristics. Mathews’ advisor, Ken Ingram notes that, “Meghna, like a lot of IAA students, wants to make the world a better and more beautiful place. Her internship at Woodmont was great. The club is like an oasis in the middle of a congested suburb.” She now knows how much of a difference she can make by taking leadership, hoping to leave her mark on the world.
