Goshen College business students use summer break for valuable local internships

GOSHEN, Ind. – During the summer months, when many college students want to be as far away from school as possible, a large number of business students from Goshen College are taking advantage of this time to gain valuable experience through career-related internships in the Elkhart County community.

Twelve students in the Goshen College business department – which includes accounting, business, business information systems, economics and entrepreneurship majors and minors – are working with area businesses to test and sharpen their skills, expand their interests and gain experience in the “real world” beyond college.

Melissa Kinsey, assistant professor of business and director of the Entrepreneurship Learning Center, is excited about the experiences that these internships can give. “For business majors, internships provide an opportunity to apply the knowledge and business practices they learn in class to a real-world environment,” said Kinsey. “Internships continue to take on greater importance in the overall academic experience.”

The internship program at Goshen College allows students to earn college credit, and some internships even offer monetary compensation while others are volunteer. Students work with professors in their academic area to make contacts with area businesses and interview for their internship positions.

Danielle Haney, a junior physical education major and business minor from Shipshewana, is working with the Shipshewana Auction & Flea Market as a marketing director assistant. Her responsibilities include managing the information booth, writing press releases, promoting marketing plans, entering data, creating graphs and tables, helping with the horse auctions and developing and distributing marketing surveys.

“The biggest thing I’ve learned from this internship is how a successful business works,” said Haney. “It’s opened my eyes to the business world and all the hard work that goes into everything. I’ve developed new skills and been able to improve in areas that I was weak in.”

Garrett Gingerich, a junior business major from Kokomo, Ind., is responsible for sales and marketing for Foamiture, a division of Veada Industries in New Paris, which includes traveling to potential clients in the area to sell the company’s products. Gingerich said, “For business students, a lot 
of responsibility is given to them and it shows us how to deal with the
 pressures of everyday business life. The experience is key.”

Ivannia Perez, a sophomore business major from Cassopolis, Mich., is working with Habitat for Humanity of Elkhart County. Perez is helping the organization transfer all the data on donations from paper onto the computer system. “Since I work for a nonprofit organization, I have learned how much 
harder the organization has to work to get everything accomplished,” said Perez. “My internship has certainly given me an opportunity to learn how to
 interact with others in a business-like setting. It has also given me a 
chance to see how the organization comes up with creative ideas, as well 
as solving problems.”

Edgar Diaz, a first-year business major from Nappanee, is working as project coordinator/student resource for the Goshen College Business Department. “This internship has been a truly positive experience,” said Diaz, who is responsible for initiating, completing and following-up on several projects this summer. “It has helped me to sharpen my focus while broadening my education on several levels. I’ve had the opportunity to meet and interact with business people and leaders of Elkhart County and elsewhere.”

“An internship presents a unique opportunity to gain experience and add to a résumé,” said Diaz. “The experience greatly adds to the education that a student receives in a classroom setting.”

Mary Jo Martin is interning with the Goshen Parks and Recreation Department. A junior collegiate studies major from Wakarusa, Martin helps with a range of projects for various areas of the organization, as well as fills in different positions when someone is gone.

“I have the opportunity to decide, from hands-on experience, if working with a parks department is something I would enjoy doing in the future,” said Martin. “Internships are beneficial for business students, because they allow you to learn specific skills, apply skills learned in classes and probably most importantly, decide if the particular business or organization you are interning at is a place or business you would like to work for once out of college.”

Nate Gautsche, a junior business major who graduated from Goshen High School, is interning with CB Richard Ellis, a real estate agency. As an assistant to commercial real estate broker Steve Pettit, Gautsche is in charge of market research for three counties. “I have learned many of the ins and outs of the real estate business,” he said. “The most valuable aspect of this internship was that I was able to meet a lot of people with the same interests as me and learn from their expertise.”

Gautsche began his internship at CB Richard Ellis in the spring semester, working eight hours a week; at the end of that experience, he was offered a full-time position for the summer. He will continue to work with the real estate firm throughout the upcoming school year, and the company is paying for him to obtain his real estate license with the possibility of a full-time job after he graduates.

“Internships are incredibly helpful for students because it gives you a chance to actually experience a career option before you graduate,” said Gautsche. “It may not determine what you want to do, but it can at least narrow it down a little. Business is all about who you know, and an internship is a good way to get you out there.”

Kinsey hopes to continue building the business internship program and get more community members involved. “Our goal is to create a win-win situation, with value for the employer and the student,” Kinsey said.

GC students are interning at a wide variety of businesses and organizations throughout the area, from major corporations to nonprofit organizations to local businesses. Other business students with summer internships include: James Graber (senior from Goshen) at Greencroft, David Haire (senior from Evansville) at Mead Johnson, Tyler Springer (sophomore from Carlisle, Pa.) at Mennonite Mutual Aid, Peter Widmer (junior from Goshen) at Aluminum Trailer Company and Adam Yoder (senior from Goshen) and Reuben Yoder (junior from Normal, Ill.) with Keystone RV.

Center for Business & Entrepreneurial Education

Internships in local businesses are just one way that the Goshen College Business Department is working at building relationships in the community. Under the umbrella of its new Center for Business & Entrepreneurial Education, the business department is offering programs and initiatives for local individuals, small businesses, entrepreneurs, business leaders and family businesses.

The business department has developed a new partnership with ASSETS of Elkhart County to oversee implementation of the program and courses. ASSETS will continue to offer practical, experience-based training and support for entrepreneurs interested in starting or expanding a business. With this new partnership, implementation of the program is now under the direction of Al Weldy, chair of the Goshen College Business Department and associate professor of business, and Kinsey.

“By providing educational resources to help individuals develop, launch and improve their businesses, ASSETS helps strengthen economic development throughout the Elkhart County region,” said Kinsey.

The college’s Entrepreneurship Learning Center (ELC) will continue to develop and implement initiatives to meet the needs of traditional college students, as well as entrepreneurs in the local business, nonprofit and church community. Specifically, the ELC is partnering with local Chambers of Commerce to offer consulting services, workshops and mentoring for regional community small businesses.

As well, the college’s Family Business Program is being revised and re-energized to facilitate monthly meetings of affinity groups and to offer family business counseling. And the Management Development Program continues to work with local business leaders to provide education resources, specifically for administrative assistants and new supervisors.

“The Center for Business & Entrepreneurial Education grew out of a business department strategic planning process and reflects Goshen College’s commitment to connect with and serve the broader community,” said Weldy. “The Center gives us a framework within which to explore how to link our traditional students with different aspects of the community, including entrepreneurs, nonprofit organizations and family owned businesses. The dramatic growth in our internship program is only one example of how these connections benefit both students and organizations. We appreciate the enthusiastic response of the community to the Center and are excited about expanding the Center to include other creative initiatives.”

- By Jennifer Rupp

Editors: For more information about this release, to arrange an interview or request a photo, contact Goshen College News Bureau Director Jodi H. Beyeler at (574) 535-7572 or jodihb@goshen.edu.

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Goshen College, established in 1894, is a four-year residential Christian liberal arts college rooted in the Anabaptist-Mennonite tradition. The college’s Christ-centered core values – passionate learning, global citizenship, compassionate peacemaking and servant-leadership – prepare students as leaders for the church and world. Recognized for its unique Study-Service Term program, Goshen has earned citations of excellence in Barron’s Best Buys in Education, “Colleges of Distinction,” “Making a Difference College Guide” and U.S.News & World Report’s “America’s Best Colleges” edition, which named Goshen a “least debt college.” Visit www.goshen.edu.