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McFerren, who will be a senior at Mount Vernon Nazarene University this fall, is one of three media relations interns for the Mud Hens this summer. At home games, the interns rotate between running the scoreboard from the press box, writing a game story for the team website, and working with the local television broadcast among many other duties.

“As a little guy, I had dreams of playing professional baseball,” said McFerren, who had his junior season as a catcher with the Cougars cut short after just eight games as he needed Tommy John surgery on his throwing elbow. “As you get older, you start to come to the realization that the chances of that happening are not favorable for everyone. However, I really do love the game of baseball and feel like there is no reason I should give up the dream of working in professional baseball.”

“Ray has been a fantastic addition to our media relations staff,” said Jason Griffin, the Director of Public and Media Relations for the Mud Hens. “He is very willing to ask questions and learn. He also has a smile on his face virtually at all times and has been a pleasure. He is prompt, intelligent, and quick on his feet.”

For McFerren, one of the best experiences of the summer has been helping Toledo host the Triple-AAA All-Star game in early July. “The All-Star game definitely made for a crazy week with a lot of long hours and some stress, but looking back it was well worth it,” said McFerren of the event that was televised by ESPN. “I really felt a sense of accomplishment knowing that I was a part of the whole picture of things getting done and running smoothly. The experience from that alone was just unbelievable.”

Another interesting part of McFerren’s internship experience has been his housing situation for the summer. While the thought of the internship was exciting, McFerren knew that he would have to find living arrangements in the Toledo area for a job that was not paying him anything other than the experience that he was gaining.

However, the housing situation worked out wonderfully as Pastor Rick Ketterman of the Trinity Church of the Nazarene in Toledo was able to find a family in the church, the Kaysers, who were willing to take McFerren in for the summer.

“Housing was definitely a big concern when I started out on this journey,” said McFerren. “I had the internship but no place to live. With the help of Dave Parsons (MVNU’s Sports Information Director), I got connected with a Nazarene church in the area who posted a note in their bulletin asking if anyone would be interested in taking in a college kid from MVNU. Margie, Don, Kyle, and Terry Kayser have graciously allowed me to stay in their home and have been just great.”

With a little over a month left in his internship before returning to MVNU for his final year, McFerren has begun to think about life after college. “Continuing to pursue a career in professional baseball is definitely on my mind, but I am also not limiting myself to just that area. I will continue to be ambitious in following my dreams and desires, but I also realize that it cannot just be about me. Most importantly, I want to stay obedient to God and will look for His assurance and guidance every step of the way.”