FGCU-Mighty Mussels connection is a home run for students and team
- Rick Weber
- Student success
- Contributors: James Greco, Photos
6 – minute read
As an in-game promotions assistant for the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels, Ashley Altman’s job is to help create a fun and engaging experience for the minor league baseball team’s fans during games. Her typical day includes setting up promotional activities, preparing giveaway items, organizing on-field contests, helping coordinate fan interactions and ensuring entertainment elements run smoothly.
Oh yeah, and she might even slip into a wacky cockroach costume to race with kids or other costumed characters to entertain the crowd between innings.
“Our team always jokes about who gets to be the roach mascot for the game,” says Altman, who graduated from Florida Gulf Coast University in May with a bachelor’s degree in marketing. “We all volunteer for it because dressing up and seeing people’s reactions can be hilarious. It can definitely be a little embarrassing at times being in a costume and dancing or getting everyone’s attention, but those moments usually end up being some of the funniest and most memorable parts of the job.”
A workforce pipeline from FGCU
Altman is one of seven recent FGCU grads or current students working for the Mighty Mussels in paid, part-time seasonal positions that started in February and finish in September. The FGCU pipeline is prolific and dependable: Each Mussels season features at least a half-dozen Eagles.
“We have a good track record when we hire from FGCU,” says ballpark operations manager Dalton Daniels. “You can tell students from there for the most part are very professional and prepared in their interviews. We believe it stems from their advisors and professors educating them on exactly what hiring managers are looking for.”
The Mighty Mussels — a low-Class A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins — find some recruits at FGCU’s All-Majors Fair, but they also rely on recommendations from FGCU faculty such as Jeffrey Mielke, an adjunct in the Department of Management in the Lutgert College of Business, and Jennifer McGurk, internship coordinator in the School of Resort & Hospitality Management.
“They have provided us with quality candidates from every single recommendation,” Daniels says.
FGCU students connect through Mussels
Jameson Moschella, who is scheduled to graduate with a bachelor’s in business management in May 2027, says Altman is the only FGCU student/graduate he knew before joining the Mussels.
But that changed in a hurry.
“As the year has come along, we have really bonded and have become a really good team,” he says. “I’ve noticed that in the beginning, we were all trying to figure out our place in the organization and make a good impression. Since then, our group has been gelling together, and we have become a very close team.
“We all depend on each other to make the nights go smoothly, and everyone holds each other accountable for what they have to do. On top of that, we are willing to help each other out. For instance, if someone is done with their assignments, they tend to help either me or someone else with anything — and the same goes with whoever needs help after I’m done with my assignments for the evening. I’d say we have become a close-knit group.”
Both Altman and Moschella say their work complements their classroom instruction with experiential learning and career readiness.
“My role connects directly to what I’ve learned in my marketing courses at FGCU because I get hands-on experience with fan engagement, promotions, branding, customer interaction and event execution,” Altman says. “Instead of only learning concepts in class, I get to apply them in real situations and see how marketing strategies work in practice.”
Studying product and brand management, for instance, connects to creating a positive consumer experience and strengthening the team’s brand image, she says. Market strategy applies through understanding target audiences and helping attract and engage fans.
Honing skills that apply in work and school
Moschella’s work as a ballpark operations assistant has helped him improve his critical thinking, time management and problem-solving abilities, he says.
“The skills I have developed absolutely transferred over to school by being able to really think through situations and problems. I’ve been able to adapt in the work environment by showing my boss I can work under pressure and be trusted. School teaches you a lot about how to act and be a professional. It’s not just about getting good grades, but it’s the time and effort you put into getting the grades you deserve.”
Moschella loves his Mussels gig so much that after he obtains a master’s in management, he’d like to remain in the baseball industry and work his way up as an executive.
“Every time I’m at work, I take it in because I am so privileged just to be there every day, working in the stadium,” he says. “Being around the energy of the crowd, seeing players and coaching staff up close, witnessing workouts and practice, and getting to experience the special events before and after the games are all great perks when working at a ballpark. It’s really a great experience.”