News Archives
Farewell from the Intern
Itās hard to believe Iām already saying goodbye to my summer internship at Indiana INTERNnet ā and to the team that made it so enjoyable! Iām grateful for the opportunity Iāve had to promote work-based learning in Indiana the past couple months, and I know Iāve learned a great deal from it myself, too.
This experience has been a unique one for me, because I had never been a fully virtual intern before. Although itās been strange to work with people Iāve never met in person, everyone has still managed to make me feel like part of the team this summer.
The focus of my work here has been promoting high school internships, which was an interest of mine when I came into this experience. I appreciate the freedom and support Iāve had to complete the project this summer. Iāve been able to create an outreach plan and begin executing …
Student Survey: COVID-19 and Fall Internships
Recently, Indiana INTERNnet shared the results of an employer survey about fall internships. Now we have results to share from a student survey as well. Because COVID-19 changed many schoolsā academic schedules, Indiana INTERNnet wanted to understand how students may have likewise changed their internship plans. The student survey also collected information about completed summer internships. The survey was sent to all of the active students on IndianaINTERN.net (8,301 students) and received 382 responses (4.6% response rate).
Of those surveyed, 17% (66 students) had completed a summer internship. The 83% (316 students) who hadnāt completed a summer internship selected the reason(s) they hadnāt: 1) working a part- or full-time job instead (120 students); 2) not being able to find an internship (84 students); 3) taking summer classes instead (67 students). Sixty-three students said they hadnāt planned to complete a summer internship in the first place, and 60 students said they …
Indiana Intern Showcase Recap
Earlier this week, Indiana INTERNnet hosted its inaugural Indiana Intern Showcase, a virtual event that featured 17 interns from around the state. During the showcase, interns shared about the experiences they had this summer. Many discussed large projects and favorite traditions they participated in throughout their internships. The nearly 50 showcase attendees also had the opportunity to ask questions during several Q&A sessions with presenters. Here are a few of the highlights from the showcase:
Developing skills
Every intern who presented in the showcase spoke to some degree about the skills they had learned and developed over their summer internships. Presenting interns were from a variety of industries, college majors, and educational levels, but they all gave testimony to the educational power of an internship. Students talked about developing skills that ranged from research and writing to engineering and cold calls, human resources and event planning to teaching and accounting. …
Virtual Internships: Lessons Learned
Itās theĀ unofficialĀ summer of virtual internships ā weāve been celebrating the successes and sharing the struggles that come with it. This post concludes our summer blog series about virtual internships.
For many of us, the next month will include finishing virtual/hybrid internships and beginning classes in a virtual/hybrid setting. As we make this transition, it will be helpful for us to reflect on the lessons we’ve learned this summer and consider how they could transfer to our classes this fall. Here are a few that come to my mind:
Adaptability is everything
If you had told me (or probably anyone on the planet) a year ago what life would be like this summer, I wouldnāt have believed you. I would have doubted that Iād be able to transition to such a different lifestyle in such a short time. But here we are now, and Iāve recognized a resilience in both …
Collin’s Artisan Experience
Collin Roach is completing his first internship this summer at Artisan Electronics. He is a rising senior at Indiana State University (ISU), where he studies Electronics Engineering Technology and Automotive Technology, making him the perfect fit for the engineering intern position at Artisan this summer. In his role, he has gained not only vast experience in the technology field, but also a cherished sense of community with the team at Artisan.
Artisan made its first impression on Collin when he went to the companyās website and read its core values: āWe value people, innovation and technology.ā This stuck with him as he explored the work Artisan does. When he received an email from Indiana INTERNnet about the companyās summer internships, it was a no-brainer ā Collin applied and accepted a position for the summer.
Although Collin says his coursework at ISU prepared him well for both the practical tasks …
Indiana Intern Showcase
Believe it or not, weāre already nearing the end of another summer internship season. And though this summer hasnāt been without its challenges, it has still been something to celebrate! Many of us completed our first virtual internships this summer, and many completed their first internships ever! Do you have a summer internship story to share? Are you completing a project youāre especially passionate about or proud of? Then our newest event is for you! Register now for the Indiana Intern Showcase on Wednesday, August 5 from 2-4pm.Ā
What is the Indiana Intern Showcase?
Itās an opportunity for interns around the state to share their summer internship experiences with the community. Through a virtual presentation, interns will showcase their work to an audience of peers, supervisors, mentors, professors, friends, and even family members!
Each intern will have five minutes to present a slide about their experience, which could include …
High School Internships: Archit Malik
Donāt underestimate the value of high school internships. Weāre shining a light on theseĀ valuable experiences by telling the stories of students around the state. Be on the lookout for additional blog posts aboutĀ high school internships.
For many students, the summer between high school and college feels like a time of waiting and anticipation, but for Archit Malik, itās a time of doing and learning. Heās working as a legal intern at The Garrett Companies this summer, where heās gaining experience in real estate development before starting his freshman year at IUPUI next month.
Born in India, Archit moved to the United States when he was five years old and has lived in five different cities around the nation since then. Perhaps this resilience is what helped give him the confidence to jump into an opportunity at The Garrett Companies this year. He was connected to the company through its …
Diversify Your (Internship) Portfolio
Shoutout to the finance interns who understand portfolio diversification much better than I do! Here, weāre talking about diversifying a different kind of portfolio: your internship portfolio. This is a compilation of the work youāve completed as an intern for one or several companies. It can be a formal, physical, or digital collection ā or, it can be a more informal mental list. Either way, itās helpful to have more than one type of internship experience to put on your resume and talk about during interviews. So, what are some major classifications of experience to consider?
Type
Whether they planned to or not, many students have recently added a virtual internship to their portfolio. If youāre not one of them, donāt worry! As employers become more comfortable hosting interns virtually, more opportunities will become available. This is a valuable experience to have, especially as work continues to move home. At …
Virtual Internships: Summer Reading
If youāre anything like me, youāre looking for something to do in from the Indiana heat right now. And what better way to spend a summer day than with a good book? Since many of us are still learning how to work effectively at home, it seems like a good topic for some summer reading. Here are nine suggestions to help you be a better virtual intern (or supervisor!) this summer:
1. Work from Home Superstar: How to Stay Focused and Rock Your Day
We all know that distraction is one of the worst enemies of working from home. This book understands the struggle and offers advice about how to be just as productive at home as in the office.
2. Effective Virtual Conversations: Engaging Digital Dialogue for Better Learning, Relationships and Results
Another real challenge of working remotely is communicating virtually. This book focuses on digital communication and provides …
High School Internships: To the High School Student Considering an Internship
Donāt underestimate the value of high school internships. We’re shining a light on theseĀ valuable experiences by telling the stories of students around the state. Be on the lookout for additional blog posts aboutĀ high school internships.
Dear high school student,
If youāre wondering if you should pursue an internship, the answer is yes.
Maybe you donāt know where it will take place, because itās nothing more than an idea right now. No problem! The process of finding an internship may teach you just as much as the experience itself. It may feel daunting to search for an opportunity as a high school student, but youāll find that there are more offerings than youād expect. Your school, community and Indiana INTERNnet want to help prepare you for the workforce; internships are one of the best ways to do so.
Even an unpaid position likely will benefit you financially over the next few …
Employers: What Your Intern Wishes You Knew
Whether youāve hosted interns for years or weeks, chances are youāre still not a mind-reader. You care about making this internship the best possible experience for everyone involved, but your intern may not know how to communicate their goals to you just yet. To make things easier, hereās a list of ten things your intern probably wishes you knew:
1. Iām here to work
If I wanted to be paid to do nothing, I would get a job as a house sitter. Iām here to gain experience in my field of interest, and Iād rather be busy than bored.
2. That said, I know my limits
And you probably do, too. I donāt expect every task you assign me to be incredibly important or challenging, because I understand there are some things Iām just not qualified to do. Iāll learn from the small things, too.
3. Iām always observing
Because …
Virtual Internships: Museum Musings
Itās theĀ unofficialĀ summer of virtual internships ā weāre celebrating the successes and sharing the struggles that come with it. Be on the lookout for a blog post about virtual internships every Friday!
Brooke Hazel is a Digital Media Intern at The Childrenās Museum of Indianapolis this summer ā rather, for The Childrenās Museum, as Brooke is working at home like many interns in Indiana. Brooke is from Brownsburg and attends Butler University as a member of the class of 2022. With double majors in Strategic Communication and Human Communication & Organizational Leadership and double minors in Spanish and Education, Brooke already learned the value of time management before it became more important than ever this year.
She started her summer internship search early ā and it paid off. Not only did she land an internship that aligns well with her career goals, but she also made it through the hiring …
Spend Summer Serving
Here at Indiana INTERNnet, weāre all about experiential learning. Our focus is internships, but we recognize that sometimes students have to get creative and find other opportunities ā especially this summer. As some internship programs have been cancelled or changed due to COVID-19, volunteer opportunities have only increased to help communities through this crisis. If your summer internship has been cancelled or shortened, consider spending some of your extra time serving!
Why Volunteer
Recent months have made us all more aware of the needs within our communities ā why not help to meet them? Not only will you be making a difference during this historic time, but youāll also be gaining valuable experience to learn from and add to your resume. Can you say win-win?!
Finding Opportunities
There are so many needs that it can be hard to know where to start. But there are several resources to help you …
Virtual Internships: 10 Thoughts You Have as a Virtual Intern
It’s theĀ unofficialĀ summer of virtual internships — we’re celebrating the successes and sharing the struggles that come with it. Be on the lookout for a blog post about virtual internships every Friday!
As I mentioned in my introductory post, Indiana INTERNnet is the fifth place Iāve been an intern. But itās the first place Iāve been a fully virtual intern, which makes it a unique experience for me. I know Iām in good company, though ā many of you have just started your first virtual summer internship too. So, now seems like a good time to reflect on the first week or two of telecommuting and let you know youāre not the only one whoās had some of these thoughts recently:
1. I miss company Keurigs. Remember the drawers full of fun K-Cup flavors we didnāt have to pay for? Well, I certainly do.
2. So much for the …
Ten Things to Do in Indiana this Summer
Whether your summer internship brought you to Indiana for the first time, moved you to a different city within the state, or kept you kicking it in your Hoosier hometown (shoutout to the summer of virtual internships!), youāre probably eager to explore some of what Indiana has to offer this summer. While it might be different than previous years, there is still fun to be had in 2020! To help you make the most of your time, here are 10 things to do around the state this summer:
Indiana State Parks
Ready to get out of the house? Indiana State Parks are open and most of their services and facilities continue to provide a variety of options for a summer day.
Drive-In Movie Theaters
What better way to spend a summer night than at one of Indianaās twenty drive-in theaters?!
Drive-in Restaurants
If youāre in the Indianapolis area, youāll want …