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BizVoice
/Indiana Chamber –
March/April 2012
By Tom Schuman
I
ndiana INTERNnet has been helping connect students and employers across the state
since 2001. The sixth annual IMPACT Awards recognizes internship excellence among
interns (three winners in two categories), employers and career development professionals.
Outstanding Intern of the Year (non-traditional)
Indiana Humanities had a need – a big need – in helping it effectively manage a
major project in 2011. Alex Miser filled that role, and others, to the highest degree.
Food for Thought is a traveling exhibit at the 17-day Indiana State Fair. Indiana Humanities
had to find a better way to oversee this important effort. The organization called on Miser, who
had graduated from Indiana University in May 2011.
Kristen Fuh Wells, director of communications, explains that Miser brought energy and enthusiasm
to the challenge. He was able to arrange for Indiana Humanities’ partner groups to get involved
and help staff the exhibit. Not only did that reduce the demands on staff, but it accomplished
one of the organization’s primary goals – involving partners at a deeper level.
Miser, now the communications coordinator at BSA LifeStructures,
went well beyond just securing the assistance. He prepared the partners for
the volunteer experience, often meeting with them directly at the State Fair
to provide extra assistance, and conducted post-event surveys to help
improve the effort in the future.
“He went out of his way to make sure the experience was a positive
one,” offers Fuh Wells, “for our partners, Indiana Humanities and the
thousands of visitors to the exhibit.”
Fuh Wells adds that Miser “came to work every day with an upbeat
attitude and can-do spirit. He was professional in his conduct and
communications, and he truly appreciated constructive criticism.”
Outstanding Intern of the Year (college)
Proactiveness. Contagious enthusiasm. Ultimate professional. These
were some of the words and phrases used to describe Ashley Herring’s work
in the spring of 2011 with the Greater Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce.
A then-senior at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis,
Herring was able to make a significant difference during her internship
while balancing a full class schedule and a number of other commitments.
Alane Summers, who was manager of corporate partnerships at the Indianapolis chamber at
the time, recalls, “Ashley voluntarily worked more hours at the chamber than required of her
because she felt driven to serve her team and the chamber members. Her work ethic really inspired
the rest of the team. While Ashley often comments that she learned a lot (during her internship),
I’d like to think that her team members learned a lot from her during her time with us.”
One of Herring’s major projects was developing and executing an online system to better manage
attendee evaluations of programs and events. She also implemented the survey on a new event
management software system and became the in-house expert on questions related to the software.
As is the case with many interns, Herring did not have to look too far for her first job. She is
now the events manager at the Indianapolis chamber.
Outstanding Intern of the Year (college)
When Josh Bloxsome served as a systems engineering intern in the summer of 2011 at
Raytheon Technical Services Company, he worked on the HH-60G Helicopter Avionics upgrade
project. He contributed in a number of areas, including a related portion of the program that was
intended to make it easier for the customer to load software on its aircraft.
Honoring the Best
Indiana INTERNnet Presents Awards
The Food for Thought exhibit
was a critical project that Alex
Miser managed for Indiana
Humanities.