Originally from Salt Lake City, Utah, Maya Renteria is a rising junior at George Washington University studying finance with a minor in speech, language, and hearing sciences. She’s currently in her second year as a USGA P.J. Boatwright Intern at the Utah Golf Association (UGA) and will participate in the USGA’s 2024 Pathways Internship Program at Pinehurst.
What’s your background with golf?
Maya Renteria: I was never really involved in golf growing up and mainly just played other sports like basketball, soccer and running. But the summer before I left for college, I started playing golf more with my dad. I wasn’t very good, but it was a nice change of pace from the sports I was used to playing because you’re reliant on yourself, and it’s nice to be outside. I did my first internship with the Utah Golf Association as a Boatwright last summer and loved it. The staff is amazing, and the golf environment is really positive across the state. I decided to come back this summer and so far it’s been just as great.
How did you first learn about the Boatwright Program?
MR: My dad is a member of the UGA, and they put the job posting in their newsletter email. I was coming back the summer after freshman year and, even though I didn’t know much about golf, he encouraged me to apply because I wanted to pursue a career in sports. It was perfect because a lot of sports internships aren’t offered for freshmen and sophomores in college. This is one of the few that gives opportunities to younger college students.
How did you learn about Pathways, and what interested you about it?
MR: A lot of our Rules officials at the UGA work USGA events, and they would speak highly of what a great working environment there was at the USGA and how the staff really cared about their co-workers and the game. Because of that, I started looking for internships offered directly by the USGA and came across the application for the Pathways Internship.
Coming from a diverse background, to hear that a program was prioritizing diversity in the sports industry was intriguing and it sounded like such an amazing opportunity. Being a finance major and seeing that some of the USGA partners are companies like Deloitte and American Express, I thought it would be a great opportunity to tie in my passion for sports with my academic interests.
What are you looking forward to this week at Pinehurst?
MR: I’m most excited for the Deloitte project. This program isn’t just about us attending the U.S. Open, it’s actually fostering a future career in golf by providing educational opportunities. It’s a perfect opportunity to connect my major with sports.
What are your career aspirations?
MR: I would love to stick in golf if given an opportunity. There’s so many different aspects to finance, but luckily, because it’s so vast, there’s a lot of opportunities to stay within the sports world. I am also considering law school, which if I do pursue, I would still want to stay involved in golf.