Indiana INTERNnet IMPACT Awards Celebrate the Best in Internships

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Indiana INTERNnet, the statewide resource for internship opportunities managed by the Indiana Chamber, has helped connect students and employers across the state since 2001. Today, the organization honored excellence among interns, employers and career development professionals at the 10th annual IMPACT Awards Luncheon, sponsored by Ivy Tech Community College.

The theme for the luncheon was “Homegrown: Cultivating Local Talent,” and Angie Hicks, namesake and face of Angie’s List, delivered the keynote address focusing on the abundance of opportunities for young professionals to succeed in Indiana. Hicks, a Fort Wayne native, credits an internship with Bill Oesterle as the stepping stone that led to her success at Angie’s List. She so impressed Oesterle as an intern that he asked her to join him in co-founding Angie’s List in 1995. Today, the company serves more than 3 million paid households, delivering an e-commerce marketplace as well as reliable consumer reviews covering everything from home improvement to health care.

“Experiential learning is a key piece of Indiana’s workforce development plans, and Angie Hicks is a shining example of why that is,” said Indiana INTERNnet Executive Director Janet Boston.

“The IMPACT Awards showcases some of Indiana’s best and brightest and fuels our optimism for the state’s future. Internships are making a difference in our young professionals’ skill levels, and often, these opportunities are leading to full-time jobs either with the intern employer or another Indiana employer. Everyone, including the state as a whole, benefits from meaningful internships.”

The IMPACT Award winners:
Paige Carroll (Baldwin & Lyons, Inc.; Ball State University) – College Intern of the Year
Salvador Espinoza (Group Dekko, Inc.; East Noble High School) – High School Intern of the Year
Scott Bachman (Baldwin & Lyons, Inc.) – Non-traditional Intern of the Year
Brandi Gilbert (Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis) – Career Development Professional of the Year
netlogx, LLC – Employer of the Year (For-Profit)
IU Health (North and Saxony hospitals) and St. Vincent (Carmel and Fishers hospitals) – Employers of the Year (Nonprofit)
Gerry Dick of Inside INdiana Business was the emcee for the event, and Lt. Gov. Sue Ellspermann provided closing remarks. The celebration took place at the Ivy Tech Corporate College and Culinary Center in Indianapolis.

For more information about the Indiana INTERNnet program, visit www.IndianaINTERN.net or call the hotline at 317-264-6852.

College/University Intern of the Year
When Paige Carroll began her insurance operations internship with Baldwin & Lyons, Inc. (B&L), she had no prior insurance knowledge. She was responsible, however, for a task of great strategic importance to the company that specializes in marketing and underwriting insurance for the transportation industry.

In a short amount of time, Carroll learned the process from the ground up. Details of the project shifted several times as the departments that requested it made changes, and Carroll easily adapted to the new needs. She even trained and supervised an intern from another department to ensure project completion.

“Paige exemplified Baldwin & Lyons’ values of excellence, innovation and teamwork,” boasts Valerie Wilson, corporate communications manager and chief of staff of B&L. “She truly immersed herself in this experience and, as a result, indicated she is now interested in obtaining her Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) designation and producer’s license so she can continue to thrive in the insurance industry.”

High School Intern of the Year
You could say Salvador Espinoza is a “serial intern” with Group Dekko, Inc.

He began his tenure with the company in 2013 as one of the students from East Noble High School to participate in the pilot of the Explore program. Explore is a paid summer internship experience in which high school students rotate through a set of manufacturing careers during a six-week period to see where their skills and interests align. Since then, he has completed five internships with Group Dekko and served as a mentor to other students in the program.

“Group Dekko is privileged to be a part of this young man’s life,” remarks Cynthia Nesbitt, training and development specialist at Group Dekko. “To see how he has grown over the years has been exciting and we look forward to the day he becomes a leader of our company.”

Non-traditional Intern of the Year
On his first day at Baldwin & Lyons, Inc. (B&L), Scott Bachman noted in his work plan – “I am ready to jump into new and ongoing projects in order to learn as much as possible.”

This declaration was put to the test when, six weeks into his internship, he was tapped to fill in for a manager on a number of projects until a replacement could be hired. One project was a strategic company initiative with a budget exceeding $1 million.

Thanks to Bachman’s work, the project didn’t miss a beat, and he ensured the transition to a new project manager was seamless. As a result, he saved B&L an estimated $10,000 in potential temporary consultant fees.

Bachman accepted a full-time position as a project coordinator following the completion of his internship, and Valerie Wilson, corporate communications manager and chief of staff, says B&L is “excited to use his skill and ingenuity to better the PMO.”

Career Development Professional of the Year
Eight years ago, Brandi Gilbert set out to develop an internship program that would help undergraduate students gain professional experience while exploring career options. The result was the IUPUI Life-Health Sciences Internship (LHSI) Program, which has employed more than 350 interns since beginning in 2007.

The LHSI program continues to grow from the initial group of less than 20 students to the latest class of more than 70. It is one of the largest undergraduate internship programs on the IUPUI campus, offering sophomore and junior students a year-long paid internship with faculty mentors in the life and health sciences. The goal is to develop each intern’s transferable professional skills.

“Brandi always has the best interests of her students at heart,” declares Kamilah Walters, senior ambassador for the LHSI program.

Employer of the Year (For-profit)
The netlogx, LLC internship program is a balance of practical work experience, networking opportunities and professional development activities – with mentoring at the center of it all.

Interns take part in the netlogx Mentor Program designed to provide information, encouragement and support to help them succeed. Interns are immediately integrated into the work environment, working side-by-side with seasoned employees on a variety of tasks and owning at least one project.

“My time at netlogx helped me grow both in my professional career and my development as a human being,” recognizes Joe Harrison, 2015 summer intern. “I was awarded opportunities that helped further myself along the path to success and that have taught the importance of being a kind and personable individual on top of being intellectual and professional. These are skills that I will cherish moving forward in my career.”

Employers of the Year (Non-profit)
Noblesville High School (NHS) is one of the most recognized institutions in the state for forging business-education partnerships to benefit their students. The program it administers with Indiana University Health North and Saxony hospitals and St. Vincent Carmel and Fishers hospitals is a productive model thanks to the dedication of the hospital professionals.

The three-way partnership began with NHS approaching Melinda Wirstiuk, volunteer coordinator with St. Vincent, to explore internship possibilities at the Fishers location. The result was a system in which students rotated through different hospital departments, gaining exposure to various health care careers. Students have had the opportunities to observe surgeries, shadow nurse practitioners, meet with doctors and more.

Continued growth led NHS to approach St. Vincent Carmel and IU Health. The North and Saxony locations enthusiastically came on board, and now students in the program spend one semester with St. Vincent and one semester with IU Health.

Award Nominees:

Interns
• Emily Atkinson, IUPUI Life-Health Sciences Internship Program
• Scott Bachman, Baldwin & Lyons, Inc.
• Lillian Bailey, National Association of Commissions for Women
• Casey Bauchle, IUPUI Life-Health Sciences Internship Program
• Ricardo Bedon, Lake City Bank
• Emily Bell, Parkview Health
• Thomas Cantrell, Modern Woodmen of America
• Paige Carroll, Baldwin & Lyons, Inc.
• Angelique Cassell, REGIONAL Federal Credit Union
• Becca Christensen, Baldwin & Lyons, Inc.
• Karoline Coryea, Wayne County Area Chamber of Commerce
• Cory DeWitt, Ontario Systems
• Salvador Espinoza, Group Dekko
• Rashell Garretson, Indiana University School of Medicine
• Ashley Griffith, IU Health
• Jenna Harden, Children’s Bureau, Inc.
• Shaun Heinzelman, Somerset CPAs and Advisors
• Rachel Jones, Appriss, Inc.
• Harsimranjot Kaur, Indiana University Public Policy Institute
• Chelsea Kulesa, Ontario Systems
• Brandon Nettrouer, Gibson
• Emma Nicoson, Kleinfeld Bridal
• Sara Omohundro, Valeo Financial Advisor
• Ryan Palmore, Indiana Commission for Higher Education
• Sarah Pelko, Crossroads of America Council, BSA
• Addie Pike, Ontario Systems
• Sarah Post, IUPUI Office of Student Employment
• Nicole Quint, IUPUI Life-Health Sciences Internship Program
• Cydney Ringlespaugh, Baldwin & Lyons, Inc.
• Haley Rivera, Brickyard Pediatrics
• Katy Robinson, Wayne County Area Chamber of Commerce
• Ashley Shuler, The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis
• Rachel Slauter, Jasper Foundation, Inc.
• Thomas Smith, RL Turner Corporation
• Carianne Sobey, Ambassador Enterprises
• Benjamin Verdi, Indiana Department of Workforce Development
• Gabe Vervynckt, Marshall County Community Foundation, Inc.
• Rex Waldo, Ontario Systems
• Greg Warren, Baldwin & Lyons, Inc.
• Davieon White, Anderson Innovation Center
• Siara Wolf, ProCourse Fiduciary Advisors, LLC

Career Development Professionals
• Liz Ferris, Indiana University East
• Brandi Gilbert, IUPUI Life-Health Sciences Internship Program

Employers
• Ambassador Enterprises
• International Medical Group
• IU Health (North and Saxony hospitals) & St. Vincent (Carmel and Fishers hospitals)
• IUPUI Life-Health Sciences Internship Program
• Lincoln Financial Group
• Margaret Mary Health
• netlogx, LLC
• Roche Diagnostics
• Salesforce
• TransWorks
• Wabash National Corporation

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