Josh Kirkwood ’20

Josh Kirkwood ’20 grew up in Horseheads, N.Y., where sports were always part of his identity. At Pitt-Bradford, he majored in sport and recreation management and found a program that pushed him to grow. “Pitt-Bradford taught me a lot about being able to move independently and be open to learning any task within sport management,” he said.

After graduating in 2020, Kirkwood moved to Florida the following year, determined to find his place in the industry. His first role with the Tampa Bay Rays was far from glamorous. “My first role with the Rays was literally just working the parking lots for game days and directing cars,” he said. Those early connections led to a full-time landscaping job outside the stadium, and from there, he worked his way onto the grounds crew — where he discovered his true passion.

Today, Kirkwood serves as assistant head groundskeeper, responsible for maintaining the field where MLB athletes compete. Communication is the skill he relies on most, he said, and the rewards are undeniable: “Seeing baseball being played at the highest level is truly a fun experience every day.

“Most days my job doesn’t feel like I’m ‘at work,’” he said, “but just at the ballpark.

—Lexi Najdusak ’26