Blog Archives
The Benefits of Volunteering
Earlier this week, part of the Indiana INTERNnet team volunteered at Second Helpings in Indianapolis. The Second Helpings staff and volunteers rescue and prepare perishable foods from restaurants and retailers to help prevent food waste. They make over 4,000 meals and send them out to more than 90 social service agencies. Second Helpings also offers a culinary training program for disadvantaged adults. While volunteering, we helped cut and prepare vegetables for a meal that would be sent out to multiple locations around the area. The experience was great, and learning about the amazing work that Second Helpings does was very eye-opening.
You might feel like you’re too busy to volunteer, especially if you’re in school. But volunteering has lots of benefits!
Helping others
There is no better feeling than when you’re volunteering. Putting time and effort into meaningful programs can help so many people, and can infuse some purpose into …
Want to Work for NASA? Volunteer!
Alexandra Forsythe is a student at Indiana Tech. She is a double major in electrical engineering and computer engineering with minors in CS and math. Alexandra is currently working as a year-round intern for Ultra Electronics USSI.
Hi! I’m Alexandra (“Alex”) Forsythe. I’ve been fortunate to have worked as an intern for NASA, Raytheon, and Ultra Electronics USSI. I designed a mission critical circuit board for NASA that will be used in an upcoming launch. For Raytheon, I programmed artificial neural networks. I’m a year-round intern for Ultra Electronics USSI, where I have been placed in charge of a new innovative product, and I’ll be an FPGA/ASIC design engineering intern for Intel next summer. At Indiana Tech, I’m a double major in electrical engineering and computer engineering with minors in CS and math, and I’m an officer in four student organizations.
You need an internship, but what else should …
Indiana INTERNnet: The Fast and The Philanthropic
Sunny and warm weather make for a perfect day to give back to the community. On April 24, Allison Gaffney and I volunteered at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) as a part of the 500 Festival’s study trip program. Local fourth graders travel to the racetrack and participate in multiple educational activities. This free program has been around for many years, I even participated in it when I was in fourth grade!
As study trip guides, it was our duty to lead the students, teachers and chaperones around IMS to eight activity stations. Each station had a themed activity or lesson, and was conducted by 500 Festival Princesses, staff members or volunteers. Most stations were about the race: driver equipment, race flags, timing and scoring, and the various career opportunities available.
Since this was an educational field trip, there were activities that focused on mathematics, health and history. Students …
High School Internships & How To Get Involved
1. If you are a high school student, take time during every week of school to meet with your teachers, discuss topics that excite you, learn a new hobby and make new friends. Audition for the school play or try out for the soccer team. These experiences will stick with you throughout college.
2. Talk to your guidance counselor about how you can shape your future classes into a schedule that suits you and your career goals. There is nothing more important than learning to articulate your passions with the leaders who can help you get on the right path. You’d be surprised when you find that the classes you took in high school directly correlate with your major in college and even after graduation!
3. Ask teachers about internships and work-and-learn initiatives at your school. If your school doesn’t have an internship program, encourage your guidance …
Job-Ready Prep for College Students
Whether you are a bright-eyed freshman or a senior counting down the days until graduation, it’s never too late to learn the best techniques to prepare for the real world. And by real world, I mean the world outside of your dorms, where meal points disappear and your class schedule turns into a full-time work schedule.
When it’s time to transition from campus to career, students should understand that although a college degree can boost your earning potential and improve your resume, it is only a small part of the employment equation. Hiring managers look for applicants who not only have the skills necessary for the job, but also whether the applicant would be a good fit in their company culture. They look for professionalism, confidence, self-motivation and willingness to accept challenges. Many of these qualities aren’t a pre-requisite for your diploma, but are learned through practice and experience. Internships, …