News Archives

Scouting Prepared Me for My Career

Matt Kennett is the marketing and public relations intern at the Crossroads of America Council. He is currently a senior marketing major at Butler University’s Lacy School of Business and will be seeking job opportunities in the near future.

As a senior marketing major at Butler University I am coming closer to graduating and starting my career. In order to become better prepared for the working-world, I decided that I would look for experiences through internships.

When I heard there was an opening as a marketing and public relations intern at Crossroads of America Council, Boy Scouts of America, I jumped at the opportunity. Growing up, I was heavily involved with Scouting and even made it to Scouting’s highest rank of Eagle Scout. I was excited to help an organization that gave so much to me and learn anything I could about marketing and public relations.

Upon starting …

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EARN Indiana, Earn Mutual Benefits for Employers and Students

Indiana INTERNnet (IIN) and the Indiana Commission for Higher Education (CHE) are continuing to advocate the importance of internships through the Employment Aid Readiness Network (EARN) Indiana program.

EARN Indiana is a mutually-beneficial program for employers and students. Eligible students benefit from a wide variety of positions offering competitive pay and valuable experience. These internships can be used to explore career interests, develop transferable skills, apply academic coursework to the professional world, examine career interests and earn college credit.

Employers with an approved internship can be reimbursed for up to 50% of an eligible intern’s wages. Interns can bring a fresh take to the organization and assist with backburner projects. There is also the opportunity for talent acquisition (promoting to full-time positions) and recruitment of other students.

“We have been very impressed with the (EARN Indiana) program, the interns we connect with and the skills they bring to our department,” …

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Intern-to-Hire: Ahmed Almahdi

Ahmed Almahdi is nominated for the 2017 IMPACT Awards for his successful internship with Baldwin and Lyons. Following his data governance internship, he was hired as a full-time data governance business analyst. He is a 2016 graduate of University of Indianapolis, double majoring in information systems and applied business analytics and operations and supply chain management.

Indiana INTERNnet: How did you become interested in data governance?

Ahmed Almahdi: My interest in data governance started with my internship at Baldwin and Lyons. Even though the day-to-day activities of data governance are familiar, from an academic standpoint in my field of study, the concept of data governance is relatively new in the world of information technology. When I was contacted for the internship, I did not have a solid idea of what data governance is or what it does. Furthermore, I was contacted by Baldwin and Lyons before the position was …

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Last Call for IMPACT Awards Registrations

Join Indiana INTERNnet in celebrating internship excellence at the 11th Annual IMPACT Awards Luncheon, sponsored by Ivy Tech Community College. Check-in for the luncheon begins at 11 a.m. on February 8, and the program will run from 11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m.

The IMPACT Awards shine light on the importance of internships and applaud the individuals who make these experiences meaningful and successful. Indiana INTERNnet will recognize nominees in the categories of Intern of the Year (high school, college and non-traditional), Employer of the Year (for-profit and not-for-profit) and Career Development Professional of the Year during the luncheon.

Tamika Catchings – four-time Olympic gold medalist, WNBA All-Star and founder of Catch the Stars Foundation – will give the keynote address: Scoring Big with Your Career, complementing the luncheon’s Shooting for Success theme.

Before Catchings finished her final season with Indiana Fever, she participated in a National Basketball Association (NBA) program that …

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Indiana’s Best: Holiday Happenings

With the growth of local pride and demand for “homegrown” products, there are many opportunities to experience true Hoosier culture. Whether it’s restaurants, attractions, shops or anything in between, we’ll showcase some of our favorite gems that make Indiana a great place to live and work.

The holiday season in Indianapolis always starts with a flash! The Circle of Lights is a wonderful tree-lighting tradition that happens the day after Thanksgiving. Although the Soldier & Sailors Monument isn’t actually a tree, it does a great job of creating holiday cheer for the millions of gatherers each year. It can seem like a breath of fresh air from all of the crazy Black Friday shopping that occurs earlier in the day. Don’t worry if you missed the ceremonial lighting, you can still marvel at the pretty lights by visiting Monument Circle.

There are plenty of other exciting holiday sites to …

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Football and Final Exams: GIFs Edition

Autumn brings many things, but more importantly it brings college final-exams and football games. While the connection between college students and NFL players may seem stretched, both feel the pressure to perform their best and succeed. NFL players are portrayed as aggressive and mean, however there are many other emotions they experience that college students can relate to their upcoming final exams.

 

Preparing for Finals

College exams sneaking up on you, like:

Don’t let your final exams hit you in the face (so-to-speak) like this NFL player. Pay attention to the dates in your class syllabi and plan ahead. By scheduling time to study weeks before your exam, you’ll be more prepared and score those extra points on the test.

When you try to form a study group with your classmates, and it doesn’t go well.

When they work, study groups are a great way …

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Kick Start Your Career

Claire Brumback graduated from Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis in 2016 with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism, with a minor in Women’s Studies. During her degree program, she interned at U.S. Kids Magazines at the Saturday Evening Post. She is currently an intern in the Public Affairs department at Indianapolis Power and Light Company.

Internships are a great kick start to your career, and most degree programs won’t let you graduate without having one. Real-world experience is just as important as all those classes you have been taking for the past few years.

Sometimes being an intern can be rough, but you have to start somewhere. Sometimes it can be overwhelming, but patience is key. If you’ve never had an internship before, here’s a list of some things you can expect.

1.  You will be assigned work that isn’t glamorous.

It’s not as bad as it sounds. There are …

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Fall Semester Told by “Gilmore Girls”

Rory Gilmore, from the popular show Gilmore Girls, understands the stress of a busy school schedule. With the Netflix reboot of the show coming this week, I’d like to present the life struggles that Rory and Lorelai experienced on screen, but students face in real life.

 

That looming feeling of approaching finals

We’ve all been there. Fall semester is coming to an end, internships tasks are multiplying, and the stress is increasing. While some (lucky) students thrive on the heavy workload, others dislike everything about it. Try scheduling study sessions a few weeks in advance so those finals don’t sneak up on you!

If you’re really struggling to make it through the end of the semester, find things to look forward to in your life. If you have an internship, find aspects of it that you’re excited about (learning a skill, meeting new connections, free birthday cake in …

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Growing as an HR Professional

Johnny Slivka is an HR/Business Development Intern with Milliner & Associates. He will graduate from the Indiana University Kelley School of Business this year.

On August 31st, Milliner & Associates gave me the opportunity to grow as a human resources (HR) professional by attending the HR Indiana Annual Conference. Wow, I was blown away by just the one day I was there. On that day I attended with two other co-workers who were able to guide me through the conference, as well as help lead me to the sessions that would be most beneficial. As an intern, I would have never imagined that I would be able to learn and grow as a professional by being able to attend the largest HR conference in the Midwest and one of the largest in the nation!

My first session I was able to attend was about emotional intelligence and it …

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The Intern Queen’s Career Advice

Matt Kennett is the marketing and public relations intern at the Crossroads of America Council. He is currently a senior marketing major at Butler University’s Lacy School of Business and will be seeking job opportunities in the near future.

I have accumulated some questions before I enter the work force, as many students have experienced. Fortunately, I was able to get some answers at an event through my internship at Crossroads of America Council. On Monday, October 24, 2016, I did not go into the office. Instead, I traveled downtown to take part in an internship event hosted by Indiana INTERNnet and Baldwin & Lyons. I did not know what to expect, but was pleasantly surprised by the professionalism and quality information provided.

I was able to meet interns from all around Indianapolis and some other Butler University students. We were able to talk about our current and past …

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enFocus Guest Blog Series: Part 2

In 2015, Indiana INTERNnet (IIN) began working with four regions in the state to enhance our statewide efforts. These regions were selected based on opportunity and previous interest in partnerships with IIN and educational institutions in the selected area. The selected regions include Northwest Indiana, North Central Indiana, Indianapolis and surrounding counties, and Southwest Indiana. enFocus, a non-profit organization focused on innovative ways prevent brain drain, is IIN’s North Central Indiana partner.

When I tell people that I moved from Chicago to South Bend I often get confused looks and questions as to why. However, in my past two years here I have grown to appreciate all that South Bend has to offer. Leaving Chicago pushed me to get out of my comfort zone and pop the ‘bubble’ that surrounded me from my hometown into college, fifteen miles north from where I grew up. Working with enFocus has provided …

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enFocus Guest Blog Series: Part 1

In 2015, Indiana INTERNnet (IIN) began working with four regions in the state to enhance our statewide efforts. These regions were selected based on opportunity and previous interest in partnerships with IIN and educational institutions in the selected area. The selected regions include Northwest Indiana, North Central Indiana, Indianapolis and surrounding counties, and Southwest Indiana. enFocus, a non-profit organization focused on innovative ways prevent brain drain, is IIN’s North Central Indiana partner.

I’ve come a long way since my first footsteps with enFocus. Back in 2013, I was finishing up my degree at the University of Notre Dame and scrambling to get real-world experience. Up to that point, I had spent my summers dipping a toe into the waters of education – both as a teacher’s aide and a substitute teacher. While I enjoyed being in front of students, I couldn’t help but wonder if I could use my talents to …

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Last Chance to Submit Nominations for IMPACT Awards

Indiana INTERNnet, managed by the Indiana Chamber of Commerce, is a statewide organization focusing on talent retention through increased work-and-learn experiences. Over a decade ago, Indiana INTERNnet began the tradition of celebrating internship excellence by launching the annual IMPACT Awards program. Each year, the program continues to grow in size and success.

The IMPACT Awards, presented at an annual luncheon, honor three categories: Interns of the Year (high school, college and non-traditional), Employers of the Year (for-profit and not-for-profit) and a Career Development Professional of the Year. Indiana INTERNnet will celebrate its 11th group of awards, nominees and winners on February 8, 2017. Registration will be open soon.

Olympic gold medalist and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) All-Star Tamika Catchings will be the keynote speaker. Before finishing her final season with the Indiana Fever, Catchings interned with the National Basketball Association (NBA) in New York as part of a program …

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Chelsea Kulesa: Making an IMPACT

Indiana INTERNnet celebrated internship excellence on Feb. 3, 2016, at the 10th 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 stories.

Chelsea Kulesa completed a person services internship with Ontario Systems before graduating from Ball State University this year.

Indiana INTERNnet: How was your people services internship with Ontario Systems?

Chelsea Kulesa: It was phenomenal. The whole human resources team (I might be a bit biased as I was their intern) was so organized and they really, truly cared about making the experience as fulfilling as possible for all of us. They wanted to make sure we were able to do real purposeful work, and that we gained what we wanted/needed from the experience.

IIN: Did your internship experience prepare you for a career?

CK: Absolutely. You learn a lot in college and …

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Learning While Teaching

Johnny Slivka is an HR/Business Development Intern with Milliner & Associates. He will graduate from the Indiana University Kelley School of Business this year.

Going into my summer internship, I believed this summer would be full of learning, strictly learning. What I soon discovered was far from only learning, I was teaching. Immediately, I was introduced to Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG), and started learning and teaching. JAG, a program that before this summer meant nothing to me, has now ingrained itself in me. It has also really been an eye-opening experience.

Before I dive into why this program is so important to me, I want to describe it in a little more detail. JAG is a state-based, national non-profit organization dedicated to preventing dropouts among young people who are most at risk. JAG’s mission is to keep young people in school through graduation and provide work-based learning experiences …

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