Recent News
Nominations Open for 19th Annual Impact Awards
Impact Awards nominations are now open! The Impact Awards Luncheon celebrates work-based learning excellence in Indiana, and is a featured part of our annual Indiana Work-Based Learning Conference. Nominations are now open in the following categories: Work-Based Learner of the Year (formerly Intern of the Year): Recognizes a work-based learner that made a positive impact in their role, showed growth in leadership skills and always expressed professionalism in the workplace. There are three categories: college, high school and adult. Career Development Professional of the Year: Celebrates assistance to learners with work-based learning/internship opportunities, communication with learners/employers, and coaching learners on work-based learning professionalism and career development. This is broken into three categories: college, high school, and adult learner. Outstanding Employer of the Year: Honors a successful approach to a work-based learning program, formation of meaningful project work, and providing learners with professional mentoring and networking opportunities. Employers are permitted to nominate themselves. …
Meet the Intern: Fatoumata Sylla
Hello everyone! My name is Fatoumata Sylla. I am an intern at the Institute for Workforce Excellence.
I was born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana, but my family is originally from Guinea, which is located on the west side of Africa. I currently attend Indiana University Indianapolis, where I am currently a sophomore majoring in Law in Liberal Arts and Public Policy with a minor in Leadership and Military Science and a certificate in Paralegal Studies.
I am heavily involved on campus where I serve on two executive boards (Event Coordinator for the African Student Association and Secretary for the NAACP), as well as being a mentor with DEAP (Diversity, Enrichment and Achievement Program), Student Leader for the Orientation Team and the Black Student Union. This helps me stay connected to campus as well as helping the students around me and my community.
I started off as an apprentice through …
Meet the Intern: Travis Robinson
Hello! I’m Travis Robinson. I’m delighted and grateful to be working with the Institute for Workforce Excellence as the Program Operations Intern.
I grew up in Whiteland, Indiana, a lovely small community about 30 minutes south of downtown Indianapolis. I enjoyed my time at Whiteland High School, which helped me set me on the professional path I am currently pursuing.
After high school, I began my studies at Purdue University. Studying agricultural systems management and data-driven agriculture has been an eye-opening experience. I have learned more than I could have imagined from some very intelligent professors. I am going into my senior year at Purdue eager to learn more. Although I know I will miss my university experiences, I’m also excited to use all that I’ve learned in a professional setting.
The Institute for Workforce Excellence has given me a wonderful opportunity to see what this professional setting will look …
Introducing New Webinars for Indiana Intern Week!
In case you missed it, Indiana Intern Day is July 25, 2024! Work and Learn Indiana and the Indiana Commission for Higher Education created the occasion to celebrate Hoosier interns and work-based learning programs. We encourage employers, educators and intermediaries to make the pledge to participate!
This year, we’re introducing participation opportunities for those interested in creating or improving work-based learning programs. Register for our free webinars occurring in the week leading up to Indiana Intern Day!
Indiana Latino Institute Work-Based Learning Workshop
7/23/2024, 12-12:30 p.m. (EDT)
Virtual via Zoom
Join us for a free informative workshop hosted by the Indiana Latino Institute (ILI) where they will delve into the details of their internship program, highlighting the significant benefits of partnering with their organization.
Employers will gain insights into the program’s structure and discover the streamlined process for becoming a partner, ultimately enhancing their workforce and fostering future industry …
Celebrate Indiana Intern Day July 25, 2024!
We’re excited to announce the sixth annual Indiana Intern Day! The annual social media campaign and day of recognition for Indiana’s interns will take place on Thursday July 25, 2024.
The Institute for Workforce Excellence’s Work and Learn Indiana program and the Indiana Commission for Higher Education created this movement back in 2019. Modeled after National Intern Day, it focuses on recognizing the excellence of Hoosier interns and employers with work-based learning programs shaping the future workforce.
We ask employers, educators and intermediaries to complete the online pledge form and commit to recognizing the impact of work-based learning experiences and the talent shaped by those experiences. Once you make the pledge, you’ll receive a free content kit with everything you need to celebrate, including sample social media posts, promotional copy, graphics and more.
Join us and show how much you value Indiana’s talent and work-based learning opportunities by making the …
Work and Learn Indiana Honors Excellence With 2024 Impact Awards
This press release was originally published on the Indiana Chamber web site.
February 22, 2024 (INDIANAPOLIS) — Fearless. Creative. Original. These are among the qualities that helped define excellence at the 2024 Indiana Work-Based Learning Conference, featuring the 18th Annual Impact Awards.
The event, hosted by Work and Learn Indiana (WLI), honored Hoosier work-based learners, employers, innovative programs, work-based learning supervisors and career development professionals today. A crowd of nearly 500 gathered for the luncheon celebration.
The 2024 Impact Award winners represent excellence across 10 categories. Nominations were submitted by the public, with winners chosen by a group of impartial judges.
Honorees:
Work-Based Learner of the Year (College): Jenna Carter: Purdue University (West Lafayette), Endress+Hauser (Greenwood) Work-Based Learner of the Year (High School): Cristina Llamas-Gonzalez: Ben Davis High School (Indianapolis), Plastic Recycling, Inc. (Indianapolis) Work-Based Learner of the Year (Adult): Chelsea Ort: Engage Mentoring (Indianapolis) Career Development Professional of the …
Celebrate Hoosier Interns on Indiana Intern Day!
Join Work and Learn Indiana and the Indiana Commission for Higher Education as we celebrate Indiana’s interns on social media for the fifth annual Indiana Intern Day on July 27, 2023!
Modeled after National Intern Day, the movement honors interns and the employers that provide meaningful internship opportunities.
Make sure your organization pledges to participate by filling out the online pledge form. After completing the form, you’ll receive a free digital content kit with graphics, sample social media posts and other ways to get involved.
Indiana Intern Day isn’t just for employers. Educational institutions and intermediaries can also pledge to participate and recognize their students with internships in their communities. They will also receive their own content kit with relevant materials to promote Indiana Intern Day. Make the pledge today!
Work and Learn Indiana’s 2023 IMPACT Awards Celebrate Internship Success Across State
For media information, contact:
Matt Ottinger at (317) 264-7541 / mottinger@indianachamber.com
Rebecca Patrick at (317) 264-6897 / rpatrick@indianachamber.com
Work and Learn Indiana’s 2023 IMPACT Awards Celebrate Internship Success Across State
February 22, 2023 (INDIANAPOLIS) — What happens when interns and mentors dedicate their talents and tenacity to enhancing the future of students and employers throughout Indiana?
A sold-out crowd of 350 gathered to hear these inspiring stories at the Work-Based Learning IMPACT Summit featuring the 17th Annual IMPACT Awards on February 21.
Presented by Work and Learn Indiana, the 2023 IMPACT Award winners were selected by an impartial judging panel from over 150 nominations. The honorees are:
Intern of the Year (College): Alex Lefever, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, Center for Civic Innovation at the University of Notre Dame Intern of the Year (High School): Arda Kurama, Penn High School, Center for Civic Innovation at the University of Notre Dame …
Celebrate Indiana’s Interns on Indiana Intern Day!
When Work and Learn Indiana and the Commission for Higher Education created Indiana Intern Day, we wanted to lead a social media movement celebrating the excellence of Indiana’s interns. Modeled after WayUp’s National Intern Day, the campaign occurs each July, starting with its inception in 2019. In today’s highly competitive labor market, it’s more important than ever to recognize talent. Interns make up a valuable part of Indiana’s talent pipeline!
2022 Indiana Intern Day will take place on July 28. Show you’re committed to recognizing Indiana’s interns! Participate by making the pledge to celebrate Hoosier interns and internship programs. After filling out the online pledge form, participants will immediately receive a digital content kit with sample social media posts, graphics, and more.
Both employers and educators can make the pledge! Educators, celebrate your students with internships and your employer partners offering internship programs. We know educators play a vital …
2022 IMPACT Award Winners Announced Recognizing Excellence in Internships
For media information, contact:
Matt Ottinger at (317) 264-7541 / mottinger@indianachamber.com
Rebecca Patrick at (317) 264-6897 / rpatrick@indianachamber.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
2022 IMPACT Award Winners Announced Recognizing Excellence in Internships
February 22, 2022 (INDIANAPOLIS) — Nine categories, 80-plus nominees and infinite potential. The 16th Annual IMPACT Awards, presented by Work and Learn Indiana, honored outstanding talent and contributions regarding Hoosier internships at a virtual celebration today.
The top winners – chosen by a panel of impartial judges – are:
College Intern of the Year: Jenna Burow, Purdue University (Fishers) High School Intern of the Year: Shelby Rosenberger, Franklin County High School (Brookville) Non-Traditional Intern of the Year: Dana Perez, The Children’s Museum (Indianapolis) College Career Development Professional of the Year: Kathy Kassissieh, Rose‐Hulman Institute of Technology (Terre Haute) High School Career Development Professional of the Year: Eric Feller, Oldenburg Academy (Oldenburg) Intern Supervisor of the Year: Kameron …
Welcome Sally Saydshoev!
Indiana INTERNnet is pleased to welcome our new Assistant Director of Educator Engagement, Sally Saydshoev. She spent the past 7 years working in higher education and most recently as the director of career services at Indiana University East.
Sally is eager to meet the many educators across the state of Indiana including those in the K-12 school systems. She served with the Business Education Committee in Wayne County, Forward Wayne County Workforce Coalition, and currently serves on the Board of Directors for Career Development Professionals of Indiana (CDPI). Sally has enjoyed her time working with students and is now excited for this next adventure to assist educators, employers and students developing a relationship towards talent retention and workforce development across the state.
Background & Story
Sally grew up in Sharpsville, Indiana and spent most of her life living in the Hoosier state. After high school, Sally went on to …
Welcome Ashley Williams!
Indiana INTERNnet is pleased to welcome Ashley Williams to our team as the assistant director of employer engagement. She is responsible for developing employer relationships across the state to help build high-quality work-and-learn programs. Furthermore, she plans to strengthen talent pipelines and skill up our Hoosier workforce.
Ashley was born and raised in Kokomo and currently resides in Mooresville (Go Pioneers)! She obtained her master’s degree in leadership development with a focus in organizational leadership from Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College. Additionally, she earned a bachelor’s degree in communications from Ball State University and interned with Kelly Services.
Ashley brings 10-years of employer relations management to the department. Moreover, her professional experiences combine career and workforce services in the postsecondary and social services sectors. Her first job was detasseling corn in the fields of Tipton county at 14-years old.
In her spare time, Ashley coaches youth recreation volleyball, softball, and basketball. …
What I’ve Learned So Far
I have officially hit week 10 of my internship with Indiana INTERNnet!
I feel it is the perfect time to update you on everything I have done thus far, and also talk through some things I have learned along the way.
First things first
Internships are a great way to discover the types of things you want out of your career, while also “test driving” different paths you may want to look into. For myself I learned that I truly love social media marketing. Before Indiana INTERNnet, I had zero experience running social media accounts that weren’t my own. I found myself looking forward to creating posts and researching trends that would boost engagement on our site. Creating content feels like second nature at this point and I will most definitely be looking for careers that will allow me to have that creative freedom in the future!
The most rewarding …
Common Challenges New Interns Face
We’ve all been there–the new kid, the freshman, first day of your first job.
No matter who you are, you experience being the bottom rung of the ladder at some point.
One of the most common stereotypes surrounding internships is that you are designated all the grunt work. We see evidence of this in popular tv shows, movies, and even books, so it has to be true, right? Well– yes it is kind of true, interns are given the jobs that other employees don’t care to do, but this is not necessarily a bad thing. We all have to start somewhere, and there’s no better way to learn than to start from the bottom.
The advice I would give to an intern who does not appreciate getting the grunt work is this: perspective is everything. You must always remember that scanning through documents and running errands are some of the …
Intern Stories: Natasha Mecklenburg
“Providing internship opportunities…changes the whole equation” -Eduardo J. Padron
On June 14, 2021 I had the opportunity to interview Natasha Mecklenburg, a private client advisor at Gregory & Appel Insurance located in Indianapolis. I met Natasha at a Rotary Club meeting a week beforehand, and hearing how her intern experience changed the trajectory of her life truly inspired me.
Natasha’s story begins in Zimbabwe, Africa. She was born and raised in Zimbabwe, until she migrated to Switzerland to further her education. Natasha found her niche for hospitality and hotel management early on, which led to her attending an international hotel management university located in Switzerland. This university wasn’t your average college campus, but rather a mock hotel run by the students. During her first few years of school, Natasha had the opportunity to complete two internships. When the time came for her chance at a third, her campus hosted a …