Students Gain Valuable Perspective From Callaway Visit

Students Gain Valuable Perspective From Callaway Visit

By Emmi van Zoest

CSUSM students visited Callaway Golf last month as part of the Career Center's Career Trek program. Photo by Kirra Robusto

Every great pathway requires a beginning. For some, the chapter can be introduced during their educational journey.

Last month, Cal State San Marcos' Career Center partnered with the College of Business Administration and College of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics to take students to tour Callaway Golf headquarters in Carlsbad. Callaway doesn't offer public tours, creating a unique opportunity.

In addition to touring headquarters, students heard from professionals who shared advice and their experiences in the professional environment. Students also got exclusive early access to Callaway's internship applications.

"It was truly an eye-opening experience that exposed me to real-world insight and industry knowledge," said Gia Poston, a fourth-year business marketing major. "It opened my eyes to what strong company culture looks like and it also provided me with networking opportunities with professionals."

Callaway Golf is the world's largest manufacturer of golf clubs. It also produces additional golf equipment, clothing and golf accessories.

"My experience visiting Callaway was excellent," said Hanna Silva Gomez, a third-year computer engineering student. "Through this experience I was able to learn a great amount of industry insights as well as getting the opportunity to hear about the journeys of certain Callaway team members that ultimately led them to join Callaway.

"For me, the most fascinating part of the visit was getting to know about all the possibilities within various fields ranging from engineering to business. It was incredibly insightful to hear about the processes Callaway follows and how it all comes together to deliver an exceptional end result."

Other students who attended agreed about the benefits of the visit.

"Hosting events like these opens the door for CSUSM students to engage in networking as well as learning industry insights, Silva Gomez said. "Events like this encourage students like me to develop skills by learning about innovative approaches used in the industry.

"Familiarizing ourselves with the company allows us to learn about company culture and get to know about possible internship opportunities or programs offered by the company, which ultimately can allow us to stand out as a candidate in the near future."

Greg Zamora, a third-year finance student, shared the same perspective.

"From this experience, I gained plenty of inspiration and career insights learning about the intern program and the career paths of speakers," he said. "I also gained a deeper understanding of Callaway Golf itself as a company, specifically how it operates globally with its variety of golf lines."

The Career Center is planning to host more events like this in the future and represent a variety of careers and potential internships.

"As a Career Center, our goal is to create meaningful opportunities for students to engage with industry leaders and gain real-world insights," said Yasmine Farley, the director of CSUSM's Career Center. "The visit to Callaway Golf exemplifies the power of partnerships in bridging the gap between academic learning and professional success. I look forward to organizing more opportunities like this for our CSUSM students."

Callaway Golf employee Christina Salazar speaks to CSUSM students during a recent visit to the Carlsbad-based company as part of the Career Center's Career Trek program. Photo by Kirra Robusto

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