As a horticulture major at Stephen F. Austin State University I was introduced to Yellowstone Landscape through Lisa Hall, who came to my school to recruit students for their internship program. After Lisa gave a great presentation and shared the many attributes of Yellowstone, I decided to apply for the internship position in Charlotte, NC. Charlotte is far from my home in Austin, TX, but I was up for an adventure!
Having prior experience at a plant nursery and a minimal amount of landscape knowledge, I was eager to learn more about the industry. This internship has taught me so many things, from working out in the field planting flowers, to being in the office working with the sales team.
Although all my internship experiences were impactful, the one that stood out the most was the time spent with the Charlotte sales team, Kelly and Mark. During my time with them, they included me in measuring new properties, bid meetings, and allowed me to speak with clients. In fact, they allowed me to design a small project in a prestigious neighborhood, prepare the bid and present it to the client. It was exciting to make my first sale and the entire process and experience was impactful! It was a great feeling to do something of value for the company. Kelley and Mark also took me under their wing and made sure I always had a project or work to do and didn’t feel homesick.
My internship has been a great experience and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking to learn the different aspects of the landscape industry. I gained skills in landscape management, enhancements, sales, and design that I will carry throughout my college and professional career. The close-knit team in Charlotte is unbeatable, and the experiences I gained at Yellowstone Landscape are incomparable!
