News release from IPFW:
Career Exploration Leads to Internship for IPFW International Student
(December 7, 2015) — Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW) international student Ella Norgren always knew she wanted to go to college in the United States. Growing up in Uppsala, Sweden, Norgren came to IPFW on a tennis scholarship, and when the program closed she knew she wanted to stay at IPFW because of the people and quality of the education. A junior organizational leadership major with a minor in communication, Norgren is the sports editor for the IPFW student newspaper, The Communicator.
“I wanted to get career experience in human resources or marketing, my career areas of interest,” said Norgren. “I heard about the IPFW Career Services externship program and decided to apply.”
An externship takes place for 2-5 days during fall and spring break and gives IPFW students the opportunity to explore a specific career path, gain marketable job experience, and make professional connections by working with hosts—IPFW employees or employers who are currently working in a field of interest. The primary purpose of the externship program is career exploration.
Norgren was accepted into the program and during fall break she spent several days at the Grand Wayne Convention Center as an event planning extern.
Norgren shadowed Kim Kelso, events and community relations manager, attended meetings and presentations, participated in daily operations, and even took part as a hair show model for an event at the Grand Wayne.
“My goal for Ella’s externship was to provide a wide range of experiences at The Grand Wayne Center,” said Kelso. “She participated in planning meetings for upcoming city conventions, guided the move-in for Braun Industries sales meeting, and was a great sport when asked to become a hair model for a beauty supply company’s hair show. Her warm personality and intelligent questions won the hearts of all she met.”
Following her externship experience Norgren decided to pursue an internship in the Fort Wayne area to continue her career exploration.
“I was intrigued by the number of Swedish companies I saw in the Fort Wayne area,” said Norgren.
She contacted several Fort Wayne area businesses with Swedish ties and Trelleborg called to offer her an internship. Trelleborg, headquartered in Sweden, is a world leader in engineered polymer solutions that seal, damp, and protect critical applications in demanding environments. The company has 16,000 employees worldwide. Fort Wayne alone has two locations, including a test space for engineers and a manufacturing plant in New Haven.
As a paid intern in marketing communications, Norgren works at the New Haven location on everything from newsletters, events, trade shows, and lead generation. Norgren hopes to continue in this career field and is looking to pursue an MBA.
“The biggest benefit is getting paid for working in my field of interest,” said Norgren. “I’ve come to realize that I love this career path, especially experiencing the culture of an organization, and putting my skills to the test.”
Related Images:
