Category Archives: IMPACT Awards

Indiana INTERNnet celebrated internship excellence on February 7, 2018 at the 12th 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

Michael Barney is pursuing Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science at Indiana University-South Bend. He is a Cloud Engineer Intern at Trek10.   

Indiana INTERNnet: Describe your internship experience with Trek10. 

Michael Barney: My internship with Trek10 has been, to say the least, one of the most life-changing and incredible experience I’ve had. Before Trek10, I had absolutely no clue what the “real world” was like in terms of a career in information technology. Not only do I get to learn some new and specialized technologies, but I get a real sense of how IT careers work. What makes it all so much better and is probably my favorite part about working at Trek10, is the people that work there.  

The people there are so smart and have so much to offer and are always willing to help and teach …

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Indiana INTERNnet celebrated internship excellence on February 7, 2018 at the 12th 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

Shoshannah Bontrager received her Bachelor of Science in Business, with a concentration in Accounting and Finance from Grace College. Last year, she completed an internship with Poly-Wood, LLC.

Indiana INTERNnet: What did you like most about your internship with Poly-Wood, LLC?

Shoshannah Bontrager: I loved how involved upper management was with everyone. There are over 300 employees, but the CFO worked one-on-one with me, an intern, to teach me about how to create financial statements, GAAP rules, etc. The company also works hard to make the environment one where people love going to work, and they succeed!

IIN: What was the most challenging project you were assigned?

SB: While I …

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Indiana INTERNnet celebrated internship excellence on February 7, 2018 at the 12th 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.

Marissa Smith is a junior at IUPUI studying journalism and public relations. She serves as the communications intern for local nonprofit Indiana Futsal, writing articles, managing social media content, and assisting with the coordination of the organization’s many events.

How the IMPACT Awards Indirectly ‘Impacted’ Me
In addition to having started my campus job just over a year ago, it has also been roughly a year since I began my internship with locally-based nonprofit Indiana Futsal! What originally began as temporary internship for a sport I’d never heard of before (Oops) has flourished into a yearlong position I’m highly grateful for.

Today I attended the Indiana INTERNnet IMPACT Awards …

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With the focus in colleges and high schools becoming more internship-based, it’s important to recognize the hard work and dedication that goes into being an intern and having a successful internship program.  On Wednesday, those efforts were recognized at the 12th annual IMPACT Awards Luncheon.

Indiana INTERNnet hosts this event to recognize interns, career development professionals and employers for having an impact in the internship arena. The theme for this year’s event was “Wild About Workforce Development.”

The luncheon featured Chris Heeter, founder of The Wild Institute located in Minnesota, as the keynote speaker. Heeter detailed how important it is for employees, employers, and interns to be “wild” in the workplace and make an impact in their positions.

“Being wild is having the courage to bring the gift of all of who you are to all of what you do,” Heeter said.

Heeter also explained how important it is for …

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Join Indiana INTERNnet in celebrating internship excellence at the 12th Annual IMPACT Awards Luncheon, sponsored by Ivy Tech Community College. Check-in for the luncheon begins at 11 a.m. on February 7, and the program will run from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

The IMPACT Awards spotlight 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.

 Chris Heeter, award-winning speaker and founder of The Wild Institute, will deliver the keynote address: Guiding the Team to Success.

Featured on The Discovery Channel’s National Geographic Today, Heeter brings decades of leadership experience indoors, working with teams and leaders to recognize that leadership and teamwork doesn’t have to be so complicated. She …

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On February 7, 2018, Indiana INTERNnet will celebrate internship excellence at the 12th Annual IMPACT Awards Luncheon, sponsored by Ivy Tech Community College. The program shines light on the importance of internships and applauds the individuals who make these experiences meaningful and successful.

Chris Heeter – award-winning speaker and founder of The Wild Institute – will deliver the keynote address, Guiding the Team to Success, complementing the luncheon’s Wild about Workforce Development theme. Featured on The Discovery Channel’s “National Geographic Today,” Heeter brings decades of leadership experience indoors, working with teams and leaders to recognize that leadership and teamwork doesn’t have to be so complicated.

Combining business expertise with hilarious stories from her sled dog team and experience as a whitewater trip guide. Heeter challenges and inspires organizations and individuals toward Wild leadership, compassionate presence and daring authenticity.

Gerry Dick, president/managing editor, Grow INdiana Media Ventures and host, Inside INdiana …

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Indiana INTERNnet celebrated internship excellence on February 8, 2017, at the 11th 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

Wes Wagner is pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in entrepreneurship and corporate innovation at Indiana University. Last year, he completed a digital marketing internship with Torchlite Marketing.

Indiana INTERNnet: How was your internship experience with Torchlite Marketing?
Wes Wagner: I started at Torchlite in February 2016 as a remote intern, worked in their temporary offices from May-August, and I resumed working as a remote intern until I left in October 2016. During my internship, the company went from 10 to about 25 employees and almost tripled their annual recurring revenue. It was a “rocket ship” to say the least!

My favorite aspects of my experience with Torchlite were the flexibility of my …

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Indiana INTERNnet celebrated internship excellence on February 8, 2017, at the 11th 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.

Allison Miller is a graduate of Indiana State University with a bachelor’s degree in recreation and sport management. She completed an internship with WonderLab Museum.   

Indiana INTERNnet: How did you become interested in pursuing your degree?
Allison Miller: I actually started out as an elementary education major with a concentration in special education when I first started college. At the time, I knew I wanted to work with children. However, as I got further along in the major, I realized that teaching just really wasn’t for me. So, I started taking outdoor and nonprofit courses, and feel in love with it. I decided to switch to a recreation and sport management …

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Indiana INTERNnet is now accepting nominations for the 12th annual IMPACT Awards, an annual celebration of internship excellence! We encourage you to complete the online nomination form, and share how this person is committed to internship excellence and how he or she has made an IMPACT! Deadline for nominations is October 20, 2017.

Have a question about the nominations process or awards luncheon? Check out answers to our frequently asked questions for IMPACT Awards. If you have any additional questions, please contact Karissa Rector (krector@indianachamber.com).

What are the awards categories?

Intern of the Year (3) High School College Non-Traditional. *High school and college interns must be enrolled in school during the time of their internship in 2017. Non-Traditional category is for an intern who was not an enrolled student at the time of the internship or was 26 years old or older during the internship. Career Development Professional of the …

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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 12th group of awards, nominees and winners on February 7, 2018 at the Ivy Tech Corporate College and Culinary Center. Registration will be open soon.

Nominations for IMPACT Awards are submitted by the public, and winners are chosen by a panel of impartial judges. Submit your nomination(s) in any or all of the categories by October 20. Employees …

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Madison Stis was nominated for the 2017 IMPACT Awards for her outstanding work at her internship with the Indiana State Fair Commission. After her Employment Office internship, she was hired as a full-time assistant manager of human resources. Stis graduated from Indiana University with a major in health administration and a minor in human resource management.

Indiana INTERNnet: Describe your internship with The Indiana State Fair (ISF). What was the most valuable experience?

Madison Stis: My internship at the ISF was the best experience I could’ve had. I was shown major aspects of human resources in a very short time period and received excellent hands-on experience. Mark Anderson, the director of human resources at the ISF, really helped me grow and realize human resources was the field I wanted to pursue. The most valuable experience I had at the ISF was the ability to hire and schedule the employees …

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 Indiana INTERNnet celebrated internship excellence on February 8, 2017, at the 11th 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.

Brittany Ulman is a graduate of Ball State University with a bachelor’s degree in creative writing. She completed a marketing internship with International Floral Distributors, Inc.

Indiana INTERNnet: How did you become interested in pursuing your degree?

Brittany Ulman: When I first started at Ball State, I was a dietetics major with the full intention of completing my internship in a hospital and becoming the dietitian in an Intensive Care Unit at a hospital close to my hometown. However, as my freshman year progressed, I evaluated my career choices and contemplated whether I would want to work in an ICU for the rest of my life. I knew I could enter into …

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Indiana INTERNnet celebrated internship excellence on February 8, 2017, at the 11th 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.

Mason Hammock is one of the first graduates of the business analytics program at Ball State University. He completed an internship with Ontario Systems.

Indiana INTERNnet: What made you interested in pursuing your major?

Mason Hammock: I am a business analytics (BA) major, with a minor in economics. I thought that BA was a good pairing of technical knowledge and high-level business leadership and communication. These are two skills I identified in myself when I decided to pursue a business-related career, so the major was a pretty natural fit.

IIN: Describe your internship experience with Ontario Systems.

Hammock: I could not have begun my career in a better …

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Indiana INTERNnet celebrated internship excellence on February 8, 2017, at the 11th 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.

Tim Swanson is a sophomore at Grace College and Seminary expecting to graduate in May 2019. He completed an internship with the athletics department at his college.

Indiana INTERNnet: What made you interested in pursuing your dual major in marketing and psychology?

Tim Swanson: I have been interested in marketing and advertising since high school, but psychology didn’t tag along until I had a behavioral science course my freshman year. I took an introduction course after that and began to love studying it… which was new for me.

IIN: What were your favorite parts of your internship with Grace College?

Swanson: I loved the trust that they had in …

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Indiana INTERNnet celebrated internship excellence on February 8, 2017, at the 11th 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.

Dominic Vargas is a sophomore at Purdue University, graduating in May 2019 with a bachelor’s degree in finance with a concentration in management information systems. He interned with Purdue University Center for Career Opportunities as an information desk assistant.

Indiana INTERNnet: How did you become interested in finance?

Dominic Vargas: I became interested in finance, because I always seemed to have an entrepreneurial mindset and a desire to one day start my own business. Finance to me was a great path of study to take in order to gain important knowledge about maintaining and growing a business.

IIN: Are you involved in any campus organizations or groups?

Vargas: On campus, …

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