ELLA HORSTMAN & JEREMY SRAMEK HORSTMAN soon will START HER JUNIOR YEAR AT WESTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY • SRAMEK IS A RISING SENIOR AT UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS • HORSTMAN LIVES IN HINSDALE • SRAMEK IS FROM PALOS HILLS
Studying a particular subject, like accounting or parks and recreation management, is one thing. Actually working in the field is something altogether different.
For college students Ella Horstman and Jeremy Sramek, a summer internship with the Hinsdale Parks and Recreation Department is giving them an opportunity to put what they've learned in the classroom to use in the real world.
Horstman, who also was an intern for the department last summer, is gaining experience in her chosen field of accounting. She said she's appreciated the support of Mike Hayes, superintendent of parks and recreation for the village.
"Mike wanted me to work a lot more on things to do with my major," Horstman said. "He had me working on some of the budget things - projections, updates to the parks, all of that stuff."
Horstman also has been working on the department's strategic plan, helped plan the Independence Day parade and was one of the staffers at a Lunch on the Lawn event.
Sramek is required to have an internship in order to earn his degree in parks and rec management and was intrigued by the Hinsdale position on the job listings at school.
"I saw the Hinsdale one so I applied, because I liked what I saw in the job description," he said.
His work has been focused more on parks and rec operations.
"I did a lot of the planning and contacting people for the Fourth of July parade," he said. "I did park inspections for all the parks - taking pictures, going through what needs to be redone within the parks, such as the playgrounds, the walkways, the courts."
He also completed an inventory of the park benches that have been donated in memory or honor of an individual and those that are still open.
"That took a big part of my summer," Sramek said.
The two agreed that learning to use WebTrac, the village's registration software, was one of the most challenging parts of the summer.
"I even used it last year and I still have lots of questions," Horstman said.
Acclimating to a full-time position - something Horstman did last year - was an adjustment for Sramek.
"It took a little bit to get used to that, too," he said.
They both enjoyed getting to know other village staff members and being out in the community.
"I enjoy driving around to the different parks because there are so many," Horstman said. "Even living in Hinsdale my whole life, I didn't realize how much work goes into it."
Sramek has enjoyed forming relationships with people outside of the village as well.
"Even the vendors that we work with, it's been nice getting to know them," he said.
Like Horstman, he enjoys traveling to the different parks and spending time outdoors.
"I love being outside and that the job is not (being) trapped in the office all day," he said.
Both believe internships would benefit all college students.
"It lets you interact with different people and it lets you get outside and see what your job would actually be like," Sramek said. "It unlocks certain skills you might now know you had."
"You definitely grow in maturity and responsibility," Horstman added.
- story by Pamela Lannom, photo by Jim Slonoff
