“It was kind of a dream to work for an MLB team,” Johnson said.

“Being able to be in a work environment and hearing the crack of the bat and the crowd explode — it was surreal.”

Johnson previously had fulfilled an internship as a sophomore with Aramark in Lake Tahoe, Calif., and was looking to be placed in a situation more aligned to his interests.

After playing baseball for close to 15 years, Johnson saw an internship at Angel Stadium as an opportunity to display his talents in a familiar environment.

As the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim were taking on top-tier American League talent on the field, it was Johnson satisfying the culinary needs of fans in the Diamond Club and Knothole Club, restaurants at the stadium.

Johnson said working in a hospitality business field lends itself to working with others and providing an enjoyable experience for fans at Angel Stadium.

“(I’m) in the hospitality industry — it’s about the guests first,” Johnson said.

Authella Collins Hawks, director of career services for the School of Hospitality Business, said the school typically places more than 89 percent of students with jobs upon graduation.

Hawks said Johnson has received widespread acknowledgement for the work he’s done with Aramark, and she is proud of what he’s been able to accomplish so far.

“The company really praised his initiative and work ethic,” Hawks said.

During his time in California, Johnson lived with his friend Anthony Greenfield, who also was doing an internship with Aramark, in a studio apartment in Newport Beach, Calif.

Greenfield, a hospitality business senior, said the opportunity to move to California for an internship was an interesting opportunity and one that looks good on his résumé.

Greenfield said although he and Johnson were doing different jobs at Angel Stadium and rarely worked together, they both took many positive experiences away from the internships.

“Living in California was definitely sort of a culture shock I guess as far as the lifestyle compared to Mid-Michigan,” Greenfield said. “We learned a lot and grew a lot as individuals.”

Johnson said after working as manager in training, he wants to move on to be director of restaurants at Angel Stadium. Eventually, he hopes to move up to be the director of premium services.

For now, he anticipates his move back to the West Coast and is appreciative of the internship that allowed him to find a potential career.

“In terms of long term goals, being around sports is a huge benefit that a lot of people can’t experience,” Johnson said. “Like I said, it was a dream.”