1. A PROGRAM
HISTORY Preparing For Your Internship Experience
WHAT IFI INTERNS
NEED TO KNOW
2. • An overview of the Interns for Indiana
(IFI) program
• What this program means to Purdue
University
• A snapshot of what your IFI internship
experience will be like
• Understand what other IFI interns have
learned from participating in this
program
PROGRAM
HISTORY
2004 TO PRESENT
3. COMPETITIVE EDGE
ADDING VALUE TO YOUR DEGREE
The Interns for Indiana program launched in 2004 with the generous support of the Lilly
Endowment, inc.
Innovative approach to keeping Indiana college graduates in the state
Matches high quality interns with Indiana start up companies in an effort to accelerate
company growth
Students gain real-world experience
Internships are academic-based (for credit) or experience-based (full time summer
experience)
6. MORE THAN A TRADITIONAL INTERNSHIP
ENHANCING LEARNING IMPACT, CULTIVATING TALENT
7. ENTREPRENEURS & MENTORS
INSPIRING EXPERIENCES
As a young engineering intern, Marissa
Carrillo was exposed to a broad scope of
engineering projects, which taught her
valuable lessons and clarified her ideal
work environment and career path.
8. ENTREPRENEURS & MENTORS
INSPIRING EXPERIENCES
During his Interns for Indiana experience with
a cancer therapeutics startup company, Brady
Kalb decided that he wanted to be an
entrepreneur. “I fell in love with the process
of technology commercialization.” he says.
9. ENTREPRENEURS & MENTORS
INSPIRING EXPERIENCES
Adam Brososky was one of the first Interns for
Indiana students. Now he’s started his own
company and is giving back to the program as
an intern supervisor.
10. ENTREPRENEURS & MENTORS
INSPIRING EXPERIENCES
Having just launched his own startup
company, Justin Richter expanded his
entrepreneurial skills and knowledge through
an IfI internship.
16. TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE
WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED?
The IFI Program has been in existence since?
A. 2000
B. 2004
C. 2012
D. 1998
Correct Answer:
B, The Interns for Indiana program has been in existence since 2004.
17. TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE
WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED?
How many Purdue campuses participate in the IFI program?
A. There are other campuses?
B. IPFW and West Lafayette only
C. West Lafayette only
D. All four campuses (PNC, PUC, Purdue West Lafayette, and IPFW)
Correct Answer:
D, All of the campuses in the Purdue system participate in IFI.
18. TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE
WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED?
How many IFI interns are hired by their host company?
A. 56%
B. 25%
C. 33%
D. 100%
Correct Answer:
C, 33% of the IFI interns have been hired by their host company.
19. TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE
WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED?
IFI is a program that was established to help the development of this:
A. Mature established companies
B. Economic development in the state of Indiana
C. High Tech companies
D. Start up companies
Correct Answer:
B, C or D The IFI program was established to accelerate economic development in
the state of Indiana by assisting high tech start up companies.
20. TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE
WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED?
Former IFI participants have learned the following from their experience:
A. A love for Entrepreneurialism
B. Giving back to the IFI program
C. A foundation f structure and organization
D. A love for technology commercialization
E. All of the above
Correct Answer:
E. All of the above.
Editor's Notes
The Interns for Indiana (IfI) program, launched with a generous grant from Lilly Endowment, Inc., is an innovative approach to keeping Indiana’s college graduates right here in the state. By matching high-quality interns with Indiana startup companies, IfI accelerates company growth. Students, in turn, gain real-world experience without delaying graduation; IfI offers both part-time academic-year internships that accommodate a full courseload, and full-time summer internships for students not taking summer classes.
Many former interns report that the skills and knowledge acquired through IfI provided a competitive advantage over other candidates for post-graduation jobs. Students further report gains in skills, entrepreneurial knowledge and self-confidence that enhanced their Purdue education.
Indiana also benefits directly from Interns for Indiana, because the majority of IfI students stay in the state after graduation. Additionally, the program contributes to research on experiential learning. Five scholarly papers and presentations based on IfI research further understanding of the value of internships and serve as a model for other institutions.
Interns for Indiana creates a positive cycle of growth for students, companies and Indiana. Students gain 21st century workforce skills while driving economic development. By having access to affordable intern talent, startup company partners grow and often generate new jobs. The intern or other skilled graduates may be hired to fill these new positions. Partner companies, and new companies established by former interns, then need additional talent for further growth. Mature companies throughout the state and beyond benefit from the workplace-ready graduates as well.
More than just a traditional internship, Interns for Indiana includes activities that structure learning, promote reflection, and deepen educational gains. Guest speakers and group discussions promote personal and professional development and create a community of practice.
A strong mentor gave her confidence and made her realize that a small company environment would give her good opportunities. Today Carrillo is a successful project engineer at Crowley Engineering, a niche consulting firm that provides analysis, planning, measurement, evaluation and implementation services. Not surprisingly, she has developed expertise in a wide variety of areas, including alternative vehicle refueling systems, building codes and standards, and analysis of soils and foundations.
Once she had a few years of experience under her belt, Carrillo supervised two IfI interns for summer 2014. Considering her own internship experiences, she developed work plans that would give the students as much as possible. “I hope that once they reflect on this experience that, like me, they will value the internship for the learning and real-world exposure to the world of engineering,” she says.
After graduation, Kalb started NuVen Consulting to provide business expertise to other entrepreneurs. “Many start-ups were founded by the scientist or the inventor of a technology,” says Kalb, who still lives in Indiana.
“The scientific founder’s focus should be on the science. I can come in and help them by doing what I’m good at, which in turn allows them to do what they’re good at.” Kalb has created opportunities for other students to catch the entreprenurial bug by hosting interns at NuVen.
Now an adjunct professor for two entrepreneurship classes at Krannert, as well as a guest speaker at Interns for Indiana classes, he’s spreading the entrepreneurial spirit.
“Teaching has been great because I can share my experiences with eager young entrepreneurs,” he says.
As an intern at Excellon Technologies during the summer of 2004, Brososky led a section of the sensor-making facility. Being responsible for design, customer collaboration, prototyping and manufacturing, he gained substantial real-world engineering and leadership experience.
Brososky’s internship also greatly increased his awareness of local employment options. The internship experience jump-started his career and led to several attractive job offers at graduation. Brososky accepted a position at Northrop Grummond Corporation in Fort Wayne and worked there for several years.
Inspired by his experiences with Excellon founder
John Taller, Brososky started Zuno Sciences, working nights and weekends. In 2013, Brososky shifted his full focus to the company.
During summer 2014, Zuno Sciences hosted its first IfI intern. Remembering his own internship experiences, Brososky decided to not give the student the entire project at once, but to break into more manageable parts. “When the intern came to me asking about the larger context, that’s when I gave him the big picture, and he was receptive to it,” Brososky says.
Having just launched his own startup company, Justin Richter expanded his entrepreneurial skills and knowledge through an IfI internship.
