Kaitlin Carroll: Making an IMPACT

Indiana INTERNnet celebrated internship excellence on February 7, 2018 at the 12^th Annual IMPACT Awards Luncheon. Though the event is over and the winners have been announced, we are continuing to celebrate the nominees’ successes.

These are their storiesKaitlin Carroll is a senior at Ball State University studying Natural Resources and Environmental Management with a minor in Communications.  She completed an internship with Bowman Creek Educational Ecosystem in South Bend, IN.

Indiana INTERNnet: What made you interested in pursuing Natural Resources and Environmental Management?
Kaitlin Carroll: I am majoring in Natural Resources and Environmental Management and minoring in Communication. I’ve always loved being outside and as I got older, I realized I could make a career out of protecting Indiana’s beautiful resources. I also love people, which is why I pursued a minor in Communication.

IIN: Describe your experience with BCe2.
KC: Interns, including myself, worked on various sustainability projects in the southeast neighborhood of South Bend. BCe2 created an environment where interns worked to solve real world problems.

IIN: What was the most challenging project you were assigned?
KC: My project was focused on lead remediation. This is a national issue and seemed too challenging for a small team of college students. Throughout the duration of the summer, my team was able to find areas where our team could help improve the situation and made strides towards a healthier community.

IIN: Describe how you helped the team develop. Did you encounter any obstacles?
KC: At times, our team felt like we were stuck. During those times it was important for us to come together as team and brainstorm creative solutions.

IIN: How many internships have you completed? Could you describe the benefits you’ve gained from these experiences?
KC: I’ve had three internships during my collegiate career. These experiences have been invaluable to me. Internships have allowed me to gain experience, network, and helped determine what career I wanted to pursue.