{"id":9598,"date":"2026-07-20T06:21:24","date_gmt":"2026-07-20T11:21:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=9598"},"modified":"2026-07-20T06:21:26","modified_gmt":"2026-07-20T11:21:26","slug":"from-college-to-the-ballpark-building-a-career-through-internships-and-initiative","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=9598","title":{"rendered":"From College to the Ballpark: Building a Career Through Internships and Initiative"},"content":{"rendered":"<!--powerpress_player--><div class=\"powerpress_player\" id=\"powerpress_player_2043\"><audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-9598-1\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/blindabilities\/DawsonHaagSSB.mp3?_=1\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/blindabilities\/DawsonHaagSSB.mp3\">https:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/blindabilities\/DawsonHaagSSB.mp3<\/a><\/audio><\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Podcast Summary:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you\u2019re heading to college and wondering how to turn an interest into a career, Dawson Haag\u2019s story is one you won\u2019t want to miss. A sports management student at the University of Wisconsin\u2013La Crosse, Dawson shares how internships with the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers and the Minot Hot Tots gave him hands-on experience behind the scenes of baseball, from stadium operations to creating unforgettable fan experiences. He explains how networking, LinkedIn, Teamwork Online, and support from State Services for the Blind helped him land opportunities, succeed in college, and build confidence. Dawson also discusses accommodations, assistive technology, balancing internships with coursework, and the value of taking initiative\u2014including founding his university\u2019s Cornhole Club from scratch. Whether your dream is in sports or another field, this conversation is packed with practical advice, encouragement, and proof that sometimes the best opportunities are the ones you create yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Links from this episode:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/northwoodsleague.com\/minot-hot-tots\/\">Official Site of the Minot Hot Tots<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.teamworkonline.com\/\">Teamwork Online<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Links of interests:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/mn.gov\/deed\/ssb\/teens\/news.jsp\">The Spectacle Newsletter<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/mn.gov\/deed\/ssb\/teens\/\">Youth Services at SSB<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To find out more about the services provided at State Services for the Blind, and what they can do for you, contact Shane DeSantis at&nbsp;<a href=\"mailto:shane.desantis@state.mn.us\">shane.desantis@state.mn.us<\/a>&nbsp;or call Shane at&nbsp;651-385-5205.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Thanks for listening!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?page_id=9595\">Full Transcript<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<!--powerpress_player--><div class=\"powerpress_player\" id=\"powerpress_player_2045\"><audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-9598-3\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/blindabilities\/DawsonHaagSSB.mp3?_=3\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/blindabilities\/DawsonHaagSSB.mp3\">https:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/blindabilities\/DawsonHaagSSB.mp3<\/a><\/audio><\/div><p>https:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/blindabilities\/DawsonHaagSSB.mp3 Podcast Summary: If you\u2019re heading to college and wondering how to turn an interest into a career, Dawson Haag\u2019s story is one you won\u2019t want to miss. A sports management student at the University of Wisconsin\u2013La Crosse, Dawson shares how internships with the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers and the Minot Hot Tots gave him hands-on [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9311,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"audio","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[17,373,263,559],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9598","post","type-post","status-publish","format-audio","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bapresents","category-career","category-college","category-ssb","post_format-post-format-audio"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/IMG_0035.png","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p6rcRg-2uO","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":8320,"url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=8320","url_meta":{"origin":9598,"position":0},"title":"Internships are Making a Difference for These Four College Students, Joshua, Qi, Jackson, and Josh, During Their Transition from High School to College and the Workplace","author":"Blind Abilities Team","date":"July 17, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Full Transcript Podcast Summary: In this focus on student Internships, State Services for the Blind's Transition Work Opportunities Navigator, Randi Lasher, gives us an overview of student internships and how SSB works with the students to assist them in achieving their career goals. Listen in as Joshua, Qi, Jackson, and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Career&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Career","link":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?cat=373"},"img":{"alt_text":"BlindAbilities Logo A black square with white initials, B A.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":9301,"url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=9301","url_meta":{"origin":9598,"position":1},"title":"Internships for Students: Real Work, Real Experience, Real Opportunities","author":"Blind Abilities Team","date":"January 15, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Podcast Summary: This Blind Abilities episode shines a spotlight on internships for blind and low-vision students\u2014and why starting early can open real doors. Tou Yang and Randi Lasher from State Services for the Blind of Minnesota (SSB), break down how high school and college students can access paid and unpaid\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;BlindAbilities Presents&quot;","block_context":{"text":"BlindAbilities Presents","link":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?cat=17"},"img":{"alt_text":"BlindAbilities Logo A black square with white initials, B A.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":9411,"url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=9411","url_meta":{"origin":9598,"position":2},"title":"From Classroom to Career \u2014 Josh Subhan&#8217;s Internship Journey","author":"Blind Abilities Team","date":"February 24, 2026","format":"audio","excerpt":"Podcast Summary: Josh Subhan shares a real-world look at how internships can open doors from college to career.\u00a0As a University of Minnesota grad who is turning his internship at Metro Transit into a full-time job, Josh breaks down what internships are, when to start applying, and how the process actually\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;BlindAbilities Presents&quot;","block_context":{"text":"BlindAbilities Presents","link":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?cat=17"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/IMG_0035.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/IMG_0035.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/IMG_0035.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/IMG_0035.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8631,"url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=8631","url_meta":{"origin":9598,"position":3},"title":"Student Readiness: Navigating College with Confidence: Tips for Students with Vision Loss","author":"Blind Abilities Team","date":"March 27, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Podcast Summary: In this episode of Blind Abilities, Jeff Thompson speaks with three professionals from State Services for the Blind (SSB)\u2014Kate Larson, Randi Lasher, and Shane DeSantis\u2014who support students with vision loss as they prepare for life after high school. They share helpful tips about applying for college, getting financial\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;BlindAbilities Presents&quot;","block_context":{"text":"BlindAbilities Presents","link":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?cat=17"},"img":{"alt_text":"BlindAbilities Logo A black square with white initials, B A.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8660,"url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=8660","url_meta":{"origin":9598,"position":4},"title":"Building Your Path: Summer Jobs, Resumes, and Real-World Skills with State Services for the Blind","author":"Blind Abilities Team","date":"April 28, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Podcast Summary: Meet Tou Yang, a Transition Work Opportunities Navigator at State Services for the Blind! Tou helps students explore career options, build resumes, prepare for interviews, and find summer jobs, internships, or volunteer experiences. Learn how tools like Career Index Plus make it easier to research careers and job\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Career&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Career","link":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?cat=373"},"img":{"alt_text":"BlindAbilities Logo A black square with white initials, B A.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5052,"url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=5052","url_meta":{"origin":9598,"position":5},"title":"Career Expo: Bachelor\u2019s Degree in Computer Forensics and Testing for Accessibility Barriers \u2013 Meet Alyssa Gourley","author":"Blind Abilities Team","date":"May 24, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Show Summary: State Services for the Blind hosted a Career Expo for high school and college students who are blind, low vision, or DeafBlind. The event took place on Saturday, April 27. Throughout the Expo students had the opportunity to: Connect with adults with a vision loss from a variety\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Career&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Career","link":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?cat=373"},"img":{"alt_text":"Image of man with cane and woman with service dog and City Skyline with Job Insights in bold letters.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/jobinsights.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/jobinsights.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/jobinsights.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/jobinsights.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/jobinsights.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/jobinsights.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9598","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=9598"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9598\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9600,"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9598\/revisions\/9600"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/9311"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=9598"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=9598"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=9598"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}