A boon to employers and students alike, internships can lead to full-time success
The modern internship has had a glow up over the past two decades or so. No longer are interns relegated to busywork like filing papers for little or no pay. Both employers and students have embraced the opportunities as meaningful and practical paid learning experiences.
Regionally, Interra Credit Union’s Frida Farrera Velasco and VIA Marketing’s Sarah Aurelio are two examples of students who turned internships into careers.
Both say those early experiences shaped the trajectory of their careers.
Chesterton High School also is making sure students have access to those early opportunities. Businesses involved in its internship program benefit as much as the students, gaining fresh perspectives and often discovering future employees.
On the employer side, internships can be a lifesaver today because they can empower organizations to build a pipeline of talent and avoid hiring crunches down the road. At the same time, they can prepare interns for full-time positions while being a cost-effective way for organizations to promote productivity, innovation and workforce development.
“Many interns continue working with us part time during the school year or even accept full-time roles after graduation,” said Gina Gervais, assistant vice president and employment manager at Merrillville-based Centier Bank.
Data from Work and Learn Indiana, a free platform that connects Indiana employers, community partners and candidates, frames the story around talent supply and demand. The marketplace, which is a program of the Indiana Chamber of Commerce, has more than 3,000 Indiana learners looking for work-based learning experiences. Over the past two decades, it has successfully placed more than 11,000 college interns around the state.
Meeting real needs
Family-owned Centier Bank has benefited from signing on to Work and Learn Indiana as a host site for work-based learning. Company leaders have worked hard to develop and sustain a dynamic and evolving internship program that’s resulted in personal and professional development for students while benefiting the organization’s culture.
Internships at Centier Bank aren’t just about filling positions during the summer months. While the program has always existed in some capacity, Gervais said it took on a formalized structure four years ago. The goal was to ensure a more meaningful experience for both the interns and the departments they support.
“We really saw a need to create more of a structured program,” Gervais said. “Today, it’s a 12-week program where individuals take on roles that meet real business needs. They report to department heads, work on meaningful projects, and participate in activities designed to expose them to the full corporate setting here at Centier.”
The program kicks off every May. However, significant preparation happens well before then.
According to Gervais, they start the hiring process in October or November for the following summer. By January or February, her team aims to have all the interns onboarded and ready to go.
In addition to relying on Work and Learn Indiana as a recruitment tool, Gervais said Centier partners with local colleges and universities, including Purdue Northwest, IU Northwest, Valparaiso University and Ball State, among others.
Joelynn Stephen, director of career services with Purdue University Northwest’s Career Center, said PNW uses Handshake, an online platform, to connect students with potential internships.
“The university takes a personalized approach by meeting directly with employer partners to understand their specific staffing needs and internship requirements,” she said. “Through these collaborative discussions, PNW can assess whether the employer’s needs align with the university’s degree programs and student capabilities.”
She said this process is beneficial for the university, students and companies.
“This strategic matching process typically results in strong alignment, creating mutually beneficial partnerships where companies receive qualified candidates while students gain valuable industry experience in their field of study.”
She said the partnership can also lead to long-term synergies.
“Internships create ongoing relationships between companies and universities, establishing the employer as a preferred destination for top graduates,” Stephen said.
Students also often return the favor by sharing their experiences.
“Students who have positive internship experiences often return as full-time employees and become advocates for the company on campus, helping to attract other high-quality candidates,” she said. “This creates a self-reinforcing cycle where the best students gravitate toward companies with strong internship programs, giving those employers first access to emerging talent before competitors.”
Fresh faces, fresh ideas
It’s a thoughtful approach to talent development from the outset, Gervais said. Each year, Centier’s senior leadership team identifies areas in the bank that could benefit from the fresh perspectives interns bring. This year, the program welcomed six interns across various departments, including enterprise risk management, small business banking, project management, the client solution center and retail leadership.
But these internships aren’t just about gaining work experience.
“On the HR side, we’re responsible for managing the overall experience of the interns,” Gervais said. “From professional development workshops and leadership courses to networking sessions and capstone projects, we ensure they’re learning and growing.”
One standout feature is the capstone project, which pairs interns with real-world challenges. Senior leaders present the interns with a topic, such as exploring a new product or service. They then research it and present their findings to top executives.
“It’s a chance for them to share ideas without bias,” Gervais said. “Their fresh lens is incredibly valuable.”
Additionally, Centier’s program emphasizes building practical skills. Interns attend courses on leadership and presentations, as well as networking opportunities that offer insight into various banking careers.
Unlike some internships that don’t provide compensation, Centier ensures their interns are fairly paid for their contributions from Day 1. With the bigger picture in mind, the goal of the program is not just to support interns for one summer.
“We approach each internship opportunity with the thought, ‘If this person does really well, and they’re interested, can we keep them?’ And we’ve had great success with this,” Gervais said.
This focus on building relationships has led to a strong word-of-mouth component of the program. Gervais attributes this success to creating a supportive, inclusive environment where interns feel valued and empowered. Interns are treated as a key part of their teams.
“They attend meetings, engage in collaborative projects and handle meaningful work,” she said. “It’s not just busywork designed to fill time.”
Feedback from the interns is also a priority. With touchpoints throughout the program, Centier regularly gathers input to refine and improve the experience.
“Every year, we tweak the program based on what worked and what didn’t,” she said. “It’s vital that the program remains impactful for everyone involved.”
Betting on Interra
Velasco is an internship success story. Starting in a high school marketing class, she was initially uncertain about a career in marketing. However, her internship at Goshen-based Interra Credit Union, which coincided with her senior year schedule, quickly became a stepping stone for her career.
From creating account packages to managing a student teller line, she gained invaluable experience and insights into the retail side of banking that made her a well-rounded employee. Today, she serves as assistant vice president and manager of the retail branch at Interra’s Ligonier location.
“What kept me around was really the people and the culture that the credit union gave me,” she said.
Her career development post-internship involved roles as a member consultant and member adviser before transitioning into a management role. Reflecting on her professional journey so far, she emphasized the importance of mentorship and seizing opportunities.
“Connecting with people that you would never connect with … really helps you to see what you’re looking for.”
Velasco’s story is a testament to the value of internships in providing practical skills and professional growth. For example, she has pursued further education at Ivy Tech Community College in business administration and balances part-time studies with her branch manager role.
Velasco’s motivation is fueled by a desire for continuous learning. When offering career advice, she reflects on the words of her supervisor, “If you’re being invited somewhere, it’s because you’re being welcomed to the table.”
With over a decade at Interra, she cherishes the career growth opportunities and supportive culture that have nurtured her professional journey.
“I’m happy to be in this role, and I’ve always wanted to be in this role,” she said.
Learning by doing
Like Velasco, Aurelio’s internship with VIA Marketing in Merrillville opened opportunities, helped her find her niche and ultimately shaped her professional path.
When she began her marketing internship while at Purdue University Northwest, she wasn’t entirely sure which direction she wanted to take within the broad field of marketing.
“I knew I wanted to be in marketing, but I wasn’t sure exactly what I wanted to do,” she said.
The flexibility of her internship had a significant impact. VIA Marketing founder and former president Julie Olthoff provided her with the freedom to explore various areas within the marketing team. This included working closely with graphic artists, developers and account executives.
“I got to see what everyone was doing, and I realized I was really drawn to what Julie (Olthoff) and Michelle (DiSanto) were doing as account executives,” she said. “That’s when I knew I wanted to pursue that side of marketing.”
Throughout her internship, she gained invaluable hands-on experience, including participating in client meetings. In hindsight, her role wasn’t just about watching from the sidelines. Instead, it was about actively learning and growing, so much that her development led to a full-time role fresh out of school.
“Two days after graduation, I started full time,” she said. “I don’t think many people can say that.”
Reflecting on her experience, Aurelio offered advice to others navigating internships. “If there’s something you want to explore, just ask your boss,” she said. “Most of the time, they’ll be happy to help you shadow or learn more about that area.”
Aurelio attributes her success to an openness to asking questions and seizing opportunities. All of these experiences have helped her carve out a career she loves. Today, as an account executive, she continues to build upon the skills and experiences she gained during that pivotal internship year.
“Internships allow employers to evaluate potential full-time hires in a real work environment, essentially serving as extended job interviews,” Stephen said. “Companies can assess students’ technical skills, work ethic, cultural fit, and ability to contribute to projects without the commitment of permanent employment. This ‘try before you buy’ approach significantly reduces hiring risks and costs associated with recruiting unknown candidates from the general job market.”
Opening doors
For some, the gap between classroom learning and real-world career demands can feel daunting. Recognizing this disconnect, leaders at Chesterton High School launched an ambitious program designed to bridge the gap.
According to Associate Principal Kristen Peterson, the initiative is now a model of success, offering innovative career preparation and opening pathways for students to discover their passions early.
“About five years ago, Dr. (Chip) Pettit set a goal to get approximately half of our senior class out into real-world work-related experiences,” she said. What began with just 24 students in work-study roles has now expanded to nearly 185 participants. The program provides two distinct opportunities: work-study roles and internship placements.
Because no two students’ paths are the same, Peterson shared examples of diverse students’ experiences.
Aubrey Isakson, a Chesterton High School graduate and now junior at Purdue University, sought internship flexibility to complete her pilot’s license. Now, just two years after graduating, she’s earned her commercial pilot’s license and entered professional aviation.
Dylan Glines shadowed at Sarver Family Dental and is now a paid employee. He plans to attend IU Indianapolis in the fall with the goal of pursuing dental school to become an oral surgeon.
Peterson contends that the program emphasizes that career discovery starts early and can evolve along the way.
“It’s amazing to see students confirm their career choices or even realize that a specific path isn’t right for them,” she said.
As Peterson is quick to point out, behind the program’s robust network of opportunities lies the effort of Mark Peterson, internship director. He’s cultivated relationships with more than 200 business partners, offering more than 300 unique placements for students.
Another factor in the mix, the dual-credit course offered through Ivy Tech Community College gives interns a formal academic reinforcement of these skills. This is a means to boost students’ readiness for both higher education and the workforce.
Ultimately, Kristen Peterson is confident that the program provides an outlet for students to dream big while gaining clarity on their passions.
“We’re not just creating opportunities; we’re helping students identify their purpose and passion in life.” •
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