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Khan ’19 Impressed by Opportunity

Posted in Internships

Had Khan ’19: LanguageOM – Getting selected as a Digital Marketing Intern for LanguageOM was an accomplishment I cherished thoroughly at the closing of my freshman year. When I first came to Wabash, I was told by many upperclassmen and peers that finding an internship isn’t the easiest when you are a freshman; and that not getting an internship at this time should not disappoint me. Nevertheless, with the invaluable assistance from Career Services I was able to land at that internship opportunity which I found to be the most coveted for myself. To work 8 weeks for a company based in Chicago was already a big selling point and I tried my best through my humble efforts to achieve this goal. I applied to almost a dozen other internships through Wabash’s online platform but the ones offered by the SBIF (Small Business Internship Fund) enticed my interest very greatly. Primarily because these internships are based outside the state of Indiana and as an international student, I wanted to spend more time exploring new places in the United States. As a student aspiring to go to a law school, I was looking for legal internships but soon realized that it might not be a bad idea to look into other fields as well. Getting out of my comfort zone to explore new things which might look out of reach and uninteresting at the first glimpse is what I’ve learnt the most after one year of Wabash’s liberal arts education.

LanguageOM is a Chicago and Beijing based company that focuses on providing professional English learning experience to young business professionals in China. The company being a startup got me even more excited while applying for the position. I wanted to do something that was not particular to one set of things done repetitively, rather I wanted to immerse myself in all sorts of environments that persist in a professional atmosphere. As a startup, LanguageOM was just offering it all. With the gracious opportunities given to me by the CEO of the firm himself, I was involved in performing market research on competitors, developing course plans, recruiting tutors and understanding the finances on top of taking care of the company’s coordination section. For coordinating, I utilized Microsoft Excel regularly which gave me an insightful understanding of the complexities that lie within that platform. Now I can do a lot more in Excel with much ease and efficiency. I will be taking a course on Excel next semester and hopefully the knowledge that I have gained from working on coordinating tasks this summer will give me an edge over other students.

Of the aforementioned duties that I performed, the one I liked the most was developing course plans. Essentially, course plans were the lessons I created at different levels of English language for the wide variety of company’s clientele; ranging from middle school children to advanced English speakers of China. I was able to polish my reading, writing, and critical thinking skills with this task which I believe would help me a long way, not only in my student career but also afterwards. After getting selected for this internship, I was pondering on one question only, that how would the things I learn here help me in law school and the legal field? Once I started working on the course plans, I realized the skills I am attaining by working on them would pave a path for me to excel in any profession. I met some lawyers to discuss about digital marketing and law, which I thought were polar opposites. To my astonishment, all of them affirmed that such internships only help in expanding one’s scope about various aspects of the law, which is the key to becoming a good lawyer.

Not just this, before starting my internship I was solely interested in the International and Constitutional aspects of the law. However, with this opportunity I realized how great the purview is for corporate and business law; and how well the business field merges with the legal one in this day and age. With all that I have learnt from my internship, I think it would not only help me in getting a good grasp on things in regards with the law school but also on the overall understanding of business, management, and finances. The things which are a must to be understood if one has to excel in any field they may choose. Furthermore, with this opportunity I was able to learn how to conduct myself in a professional manner at all times, something which many students lack when they first land at their professional jobs. The opportunity that I’ve been given by the SBIF is one that has had a definite impact on me and I am very grateful for the generosity with which I was given the stipend to make the most out of my internship experience.


Brown ’17 Experiences a Ride Along

Posted in Externship

Wesley Brown: EPD – Through a series of connections with Wabash College alumni, I was lucky enough to meet Detective Peter DeYoung with the Evansville Police Department (EPD).  Detective DeYoung set up a four day long externship for me on the dates of July 20-23, 2016.  During this externship I got the opportunity to job shadow the daily lives of three different units within the EPD.

On Wednesday, July 20, I rode along with patrol officer Kyle Thiry on second shift from 3:00pm-11:00pm.  During this time I learned about the role and utmost importance of patrol officers in local law enforcement structure.  Patrol officers must be almost completely self sufficient, and use critical decision making skills in a timely manner in order to properly serve the public and at times protect themselves.  Patrol officers are literally the boots on the ground for law enforcement agencies, and are imperative in solving large and small issues in the community.  I did not realize how constant the work of a patrol officer was until Officer Thiry explained the dispatch and response system to me.  From the time Officer Thiry and I got into his patrol car, we were continuously on “runs” until the end of his shift.  During my ride-along we went on a variety of dispatched runs including criminal mischief, noise complaints, domestic disputes, breaking and entering, and assault in progress.  Officer Thiry responded to each call in order of urgency, while simultaneously handling each situation with equal diligence and concern.  My ride-along with Officer Thiry was an extremely exciting and eye-opening experience.

On Thursday, July 21, I shadowed a detective with the Intelligence Led Policing (ILP) Unit of the EPD from 12:00pm-5:00pm.  Usually this unit leads Gang Task Force operations and enforces the law by utilizing statistical data based on geographically focusing efforts on areas with high concentrations of crime in the city of Evansville.  However, on this day I rode with one of the ILP detectives during an important surveillance operation.  This was surprisingly the most exhilarating day of my externship because the detective I rode with was forced to exceed the speed limit and make several traffic violations, all in an unmarked pick-up truck in order to keep track of the vehicles we were tailing.  From my experience with the ILP Unit, it was clear that being a detective in this unique niche of law enforcement would be a thrilling career.

On Friday and Saturday night, July 22-23, I shadowed EPD Detective and Wabash College alumni Peter DeYoung on third shift from 8:00pm-4:00am.  Detective DeYoung was working on about eight different cases and investigations at the time.  In order to solve these cases and track down crime suspects, Detective DeYoung utilized unique tools such as county jail phone/video recordings, the EPD database systems, crime scene evidence, and even Facebook.  Detective DeYoung has a large amount of freedom within his shift regarding the way he performs his job, as often times he can do things on his own time as long as he completes each case file within a month of the investigations’ completion.  During my externship we left the office a few times to look for suspects at locations where they might have been.  While shadowing Detective DeYoung, he also interviewed two separate stabbing victims at a local hospital in order to find out what exactly happened in the situation, who the offender was, where they might be, along with any other useful information.  It was intriguing to view and learn about the process of criminal investigations from start to finish, in the detectives’ office and in the field.  Detective DeYoung said he uses valuable critical thinking skills that he developed during his four years at Wabash College and has been able to sharpen through his career in law enforcement.

This four-day externship was an eye-opening and exciting experience that has ultimately further inspired me to pursue a career in law enforcement.  On the last night of the externship Detective DeYoung gave me an application for the EPD and spoke with me in depth about the yearlong application process.  With my senior year and graduation from Wabash quickly approaching, the EPD will be one of the law enforcement agencies that I apply for this upcoming school year and hope to be a part of one day.  I would like to extend a sincere thank you to Detective DeYoung for his generosity in setting up this invaluable experience.  I would also like to thank all the brave men and women of the Evansville Police Department for their service to the community and for welcoming me during my time throughout the department.


Crouch ’17 Finds Inspiration in Research

Posted in Internships

Cole Crouch ’17 – I spent my eight weeks of summer ‘16 interning with Prof. Jeff Drury. We researched, co-wrote, and submitted an interpretative essay about Robert F. Kennedy’s “Statement on the Death of Reverend Martin Luther King, Rally in Indianapolis, Indiana” and his “Remarks at the Cleveland City Club.” Following King’s death, Kennedy delivered two speeches calling on our nation to adhere to nonviolence. We argued that both speeches, in conjunction, constructed a prophetic ethos that invested Kennedy with the authority to speak as a source of wisdom. In his prophetic voice, he used ultimate terms to exhort the audience to adhere to natural law, comprised of reason and justice, as a redemption for the sins of the nation that had condoned violence. Alongside our analysis, we explored Kennedy’s persona, the context that surrounded his speeches, and the legacy of his rhetoric.

Working together with Prof. Drury, I gained invaluable research and analytical skills useful for but not limited to the field of rhetoric. Using books and electronic sources made available through

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Crouch ’17 at the Landmark for Peace Memorial in Indianapolis, IN

Wabash College’s Lilly Library, we ably completed our research. Prof. Drury and I divided the workload throughout the process to maximize efficiency and productivity. Also with his guidance, I developed my outlining, writing, and editing skills. As fall semester rolls around, I will apply these skills to my extensive senior seminar paper required for rhetoric majors. Finally, I will apply my newfound knowledge of the entire research process as I possibly apply for fellowships and post-graduates studies.

In addition to the tangible skills I developed through this experience, I discovered my profound respect for Kennedy as a political leader. I have an eagerness to continue studying Kennedy as well as the issues he was fighting to conquer in his final years. Kennedy’s compassion and wisdom and empathy for his fellow human beings typify his rhetoric and legacy as one of the greatest leaders in American history. Following the 2012 shootings at the Washington Navy Yard, President Barack Obama said, “What Robert Kennedy understood, what Dr. King understood, what all our great leaders have always understood, is that wisdom does not come from tragedy alone or from some sense of resignation in the fallibility of man. Wisdom comes through the recognition that tragedies such as this are not inevitable and that we possess the ability to act and to change and to spare others the pain that drops upon our hearts.” Perhaps this quote best sums up Kennedy and the desperate need for such political leadership in our country today.


Schafer ’17 finds fulfillment in work

Posted in Internships
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Schafer ’17 with Executive Director, Neva-Marie Polley, and two LAS board members, Marshall Eldred (Frost Brown Todd) and Kendrick Riggs (Stoll Keenon Ogden)

This summer, I have not only played a part in representing the needy, but have also worked alongside the mostly genuinely kind people I have met. The Legal Aid Society of Louisville aims “to pursue justice for people in poverty” by providing free legal services to the most disadvantaged in the Northern Kentucky community. I began my internship at Legal Aid amid a busy fundraising season. Though the Legal Aid Society represents thousands of Kentucky’s citizens, they do no collect any fees or payment from clients. Consequently, Legal Aid depends of generous fundraising in order to continue helping the needy. This internship fortunately let me gain hands-on fundraising experience, instead of limiting me to making coffee and stapling papers. Among maintaining contact with clients, creating new & engaging marketing tactics for fundraising, or drafting grants & learning how to present the most relevant information with limited resources and time, I’ve expanded my skill set under Legal Aid’s Development Director, Julia Leist. The annual Justice for All campaign was looming, in which Legal Aid “aims to continue [their] mission to help low-income people resolve legal problems affecting their basic human needs and meet our commitment to securing justice, promoting economic and family stability, and reducing poverty in our community.” While working on this vital fundraiser, I’ve been able to meet some of Louisville’s prominent attorneys, who head the fundraising committee alongside Legal Aid. The board meetings for the campaign reaffirmed my aspirations for my hopeful career; lawyers happily and willingly working towards ensuring proper civil legal help by working on the Justice for All Campaign. I hope that I would become such a genuine and respectable lawyer who could break the modern stereotype so often associated with the profession The Small Business Internship Fund’s Legal Aid Wabash internship has helped me examine my desired career choice, allowing me to see inside a non-profit law firm and the legal world.

Some of my engaging experience happens while shadowing the overwhelmingly welcoming attorneys. Heading off to court with a Family Law attorney fills me with excitement in the morning and occasional sadness in the afternoon, after witnessing cases and clients. Bankruptcy teaches me how the law is not only for punishing, but also helping. Lastly, expungement reminds me that sometime people deserve a second chance. Shadowing these attorneys demonstrates to me how a lawyer can empathize with a client, and truly want to help those in need. I am thankful to Wabash, the SBIF, and Jeff Been ’81 for creating this internship and continuing to trust and reward Wabash men for accepting this position. My peer interns are all enrolled in law school, and, fortunately for me, have shared valuable opinions on law school and its atmosphere. These conversations force me to think critically about the next move after graduation. In addition to my colleague’s insight, attorneys also offered their experience after law school and practicing law. I’ve gained an improved impression of law school and the profession while working at Legal Aid and speaking with prominent attorneys in the greater Louisville area. I now feel more confident heading into taking the LSAT and actually beginning the search for Law School.

At Legal Aid, I can leave work and feel accomplished after helping others. This internship teaches me how a collective force of good can actually impact the world around it, which offers some hope for me during troubled times. I would like to thank the lovely people at Legal Aid, Eric Graninger, Jeff Been ’81, and the SBIF, who have all influenced my perspective of the world around me, and helped me reflect on my upcoming choices in life.