DelVal Student Takes the Field at Eagles Game Through Internship Experience
Doylestown, PA (12/15/2025) — Delaware Valley University turf management student Connor Esbenshade '26 had a unique, behind-the-scenes role during the Philadelphia Eagles game last night, assisting on the field by pulling up the net for extra points each time the team scored.
Esbenshade is currently completing a six-month internship under Tony Leonard, director of grounds at Lincoln Financial Field. Through the internship, Esbenshade is gaining hands-on experience in professional sports turf management, including game-day operations at the NFL level.
A native of Lancaster, Pa., Esbenshade is majoring in turf management and plays baseball for the DelVal Aggies. He has earned recognition for his academic achievements as a two-time MAC Honor Roll recipient and a member of the DelVal dean's list.
For nearly 130 years, DelVal has educated students under the philosophy of combining science with practice to prepare graduates for success in their careers. DelVal's Experience360 program requires students to complete at least one internship or career-exploration opportunity in which they gain hands-on experience before they graduate. Each year, students are presented with increasingly unique and valuable experiences that graduates agree open doors to post-graduate opportunities they would not have otherwise received.
"I commend Connor for using the fall semester to get the full experience of prepping an NFL field for games along with maintaining practice fields," said Doug Linde, professor of turf management. "Director of Grounds Tony Leonard has hosted many interns from DelVal and acts as a knowledgable and supportive mentor to our students."
Delaware Valley University's turf management program emphasizes experiential learning, providing students with real-world opportunities at professional venues preparing them for careers in sports field and grounds management.
About Delaware Valley University
Delaware Valley University is a private, comprehensive, nonprofit university educating students with a curriculum that emphasizes and requires experiential learning. Located in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, about 30 miles north of Philadelphia, the University offers 27 undergraduate majors in business, arts and sciences, and agricultural and environmental sciences; 12 master's degrees; and a doctorate in education. Founded in 1896, DelVal has been cited by the National Society for Experiential Education as having the country's top experiential learning program, by Princeton Review as one of the best colleges in the Northeast, and by College Factual as having one of the top 20 animal science programs in the country.
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DelVal senior Connor Esbenshade stands on Lincoln Financial Field wearing his field access arm band.
Delaware Valley University
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