Nominations Open For 2018 IMPACT Awards
Janet Boston
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowIn this time of workforce challenges, internships have never been more important for the workers, the employers and the state of Indiana.
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 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 can even nominate their own organization’s internship program.
The 2017 Intern of the Year winners are continuing to make an impact on their employers and communities. High School Intern of the Year Britney Arenas is a second-year intern with Bowman Creek Educational Ecosystem. She will graduate from Riley High School in 2019.
Hannah Dodd, College Intern of the Year, was a geographic information systems intern with the city of Butler. She is currently a software intern at Aptera and is planning to graduate from Indiana Institute of Technology in 2018 with a bachelor’s degree in computer science.
KayLeigh Duerksen, College Intern of the Year, is continuing her internship career with TASUS Corp. as a marketing and human resources assistant. She is planning to graduate from Indiana University in 2018 with a bachelor’s degree in human resource management.
Non-Traditional Intern of the Year Katherine Larrabee is now a project manager with DirectEmployers Institute. After completing her internship, she was hired as a full-time employee in her current position. Larrabee is a graduate of Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne with a bachelor’s degree in business and communication.
These IMPACT Awards winners are proven examples of talent retention and internship excellence. The IMPACT Awards celebrate these interns, employers and career development professionals who are making a difference in Indiana. View the list of previous winners.
If your organization would like to start an internship program, or if you’re looking for assistance with expanding your current program, Indiana INTERNnet is here to help. We provide a web site to facilitate student-employer matches at no cost and we also have instructional resources to help you build a stand-out internship program.
Employers can also apply for EARN Indiana funds, a program through the Indiana Commission for Higher Education, and receive reimbursement for up to 50% of an eligible intern’s wages. Students registered on IndianaINTERN.net can fill out a simple form to find out if they are eligible for EARN Indiana.
To register for our free services, visit www.IndianaINTERN.net, or call (317) 264-6852 to speak with our staff about your internship needs.