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Thambipillay ’22 – enFocus | Economics Research

Posted in 2021 Summer Internships, Academic Research, CIBE, CIBE Internship Program, Uncategorized

I want to thank the numerous donors and friends of Wabash College whose generous contributions have made internships like mine possible. I’m very grateful to the Wabash College CIBE and Roy Kaplan at Career Services for their help in seeking these wonderful opportunities this summer. Finally, I’d like to express my gratitude to my peers and mentors at enFocus and Dr. Saha for providing meaningful and impactful experiences this summer.

I spent a large portion of my summer in South Bend, IN, working as an intern at enFocus, a local non-profit consulting company committed to building innovation in the region. Interns split their work between primary and secondary projects in a 70/30 split. As an industry-side intern, my primary project consisted of data lake development along with data visualization. I spent most of my time creating visualizations in Tableau, and I enjoyed being able to ask the client high-level questions about the desired product while having the freedom to be creative as I developed these automated dashboards. Through my secondary project, I contributed to the development of a program to aid Elkhart Community Schools students amidst a growing era of technology and internet reliance. We performed market and population research to gain a thorough understanding of the underlying problem.

I returned to our beautiful campus for the last four weeks of summer to aid Dr. Sujata Saha in her research on the impact of housing price shocks on different types of consumption. This research work felt familiar as I assisted Dr. Saha in a previous research topic last summer. Like last summer, I enjoyed immersing myself in the literature that I usually wouldn’t find myself reading. In addition to performing a literature review and searching for sources related to the topic in mind, I collected and cleaned data before performing regression analyses.

I could not have asked for a better summer experience. I am incredibly thankful that I had the opportunity to enjoy the best of both non-profit consulting and economic research. I also made numerous great connections throughout these internships, and I enjoyed experiencing a new city this summer.


Goheen ’24 – Leonard-McDowell

Posted in 2021 Summer Internships, CIBE, CIBE Internship Program, Uncategorized

Will Goheen ’24 — The experience Wabash College and the CIBE helped me get this summer was
amazing. The BIP lessons and skills we learned helped us obtain skills that would directly help with
our summer jobs, so it was really cool to see the improvement happen so fast. Learning how to
use excel and many other computer applications more efficiently is a criminally undervalued
skill, and helped a tremendous amount. Personally, it helped me be way more productive and
shave hours off of my time to complete my workload.

A huge special thanks to Roland and Anthony for helping me be prepared for the initial
internship interview. Having never been interviewed for a job before, it was a very daunting task,
but they helped me to be collected and prepared for the interview. Alejandro also helped a
tremendous amount with soft skills such as how to read people, respond to questions, and
convey your thoughts and answers better. The breakfast challenge we would do helped to put
us in an uncomfortable spot, and challenged us to be better communicators These skills also
helped me feel more comfortable in discussions during my internship.

This summer, the BIP also helped me secure an internship with Leonard-McDowell.
Leonard-McDowell is a tech-based venture capitalist firm located in Zionsville Indiana. They
primarily invest and help sell companies’ technology that offer solutions to technological
problems companies face in the 21st Century. During this internship, I primarily worked in sales
and learned a lot. One of the best things I was taught about sales is identifying the problem.
Leonard-McDowell sold many products from over 8 companies. My background is not based on
technology, so Frank Leonard, the CEO, and founder told me I did not have to know every detail
about every product. I simply needed to know the problem is solved, and I knew how to sell the
product. I also learned a great deal of business, manufacturing, and marketing terms. This was
a huge benefit because now when I hear professionals talk, I can join the conversation and be
knowledgeable.


Hooton ’24 – Program Operations

Posted in 2021 Summer Internships, CIBE, CIBE Internship Program, Uncategorized

Sam Hooton ’24 — Firstly, I would like to thank all the donors who graciously helped make paid internships for many Wabash students possible this summer. In my specific case, I’d like to extend my thanks to Wabash College. I also appreciate Roland Morin and Anthony Mendez at the Center for Innovation, Business, and Entrepreneurship (CIBE) for providing me with this fantastic opportunity.

This summer, I served as the Program Operations Intern for the CIBE at Wabash College. Throughout the summer, I attended and participated in the Business Innovation Program (BIP). I learned many valuable business and life skills from the BIP Program, such as Emotional Intelligence (EQ) and problem-solving through the lean method. I utilized some of these skills in the Harvard Business School case studies that I deliberated with 20 other Wabash students over. The skills that I gathered from the BIP program will be very valuable in my future career aspirations.

Along with the BIP program, I was tasked with editing and posting over 150 blog posts. This job required me to exude proper communication skills and extreme responsibility. This work helped me hone those skills even further as I gain more experience in the business world.

Once again, I would like to thank all those involved in making internships like mine possible for Wabash students.


Olive ’24 – The Peterson Company

Posted in 2021 Summer Internships, CIBE, CIBE Internship Program, Uncategorized

Will Olive ’24 — First, I want to thank the alumni donors for funding my summer internship experience with The Peterson Company and Business Innovation Program (BIP) at Wabash College. Also, I thank the Center for Innovation, Business & Entrepreneurship (CIBE), CIBE Senior Fellow Anthony Mendez ’20, and Associate Dean Roland Morin ’91. The internship opportunities truly educated me and deepened my knowledge within the business world. Next, I would like to thank all the alumni that took time out of their days to meet with us. These alumni were a great help, sources of knowledge, and they also gave us insight into their Wabash experience and how it helped them.


At The Peterson Company, I was part of their project management team. I was part of the on-site management of 7 different projects, which included ten buildings. The tasks included contacting, communicating, and coordinating the work necessary for completing each of the buildings. Through this process, I learned how to use a couple of new programs that streamline the process. I learned how to use Microsoft Project, which is scheduling software that makes it easier to predict when work will be ready to be started. Also, I learned how to use Procore, a project management software that stores the prints and drawings, a copy of the schedule, and easy access to the subcontractors.


Overall, I learned a tremendous amount from both The Peterson Company and BIP. The Harvard Business School case studies through the BIP allowed me to think critically about important business decisions. The Emotional Intelligence (EQ) sessions taught me ways to communicate effectively and intelligently. The EQ sessions allowed me to become more aware and comfortable when handling challenging situations. I believe it will help me when dealing with clients and coworkers. This summer has been immensely beneficial for my personal and professional growth. I cannot thank Anthony Mendez ’20, Associate Dean Roland Morin ’91, and the rest of the CIBE enough for the incredible opportunity with the BIP


Schlosser ’24 – Capturely Inc.

Posted in 2021 Summer Internships, CIBE, CIBE Internship Program

Banks Schlosser ’24 — First off, I want to thank Associate Dean Roland Morin ’91, CIBE Senior Fellow Anthony Mendez ’20, and the generous donors for making my internship a reality. This summer, I was a part of the Business Innovation Program (BIP) through the Center for Innovation, Business & Entrepreneurship (CIBE) at Wabash College. Without them, I would not have had the great experience I had with Capturely, Inc. I also want to thank all the people who help fund the CIBE and BIP. This opportunity would not have been possible without them. Finally, I would like to thank Brian Confer ‘01 and Chase Clarkson ‘19 for the great experience of working with Capturely, Inc. 

At Capturely, Inc., I worked with two Wabash alumni, Brian Confer ‘01 and Chase Clarkson ‘19, in sales operations and business development. One of my main tasks was searching for protentional customers for Capturely, Inc. For instance, I communicated with potential customers and was able to see the process of making a sale. Also, I filled out work orders for the sales team. This process was more interesting than it sounds because I communicated to the production team where the photoshoot took place, how many photos the company receives, and the total price of all the pictures. I got to see the foundation of what Capturely, Inc. was doing as a company. I am very thankful for this opportunity because it was my first experience in the business world. 

Nevertheless, I spent 10 hours per week in the BIP with CIBE Senior Fellow Anthony Mendez ’20 and Wabash alums. Various Wabash alums presented nearly 15+ Harvard Business School case studies that we were all very inciteful in their way. Each case study and alumni taught me something new or brought a new idea to the table. My favorite part of BIP this summer was the emotional intelligence (EQ) series. I enjoyed this series because we worked on the soft skills necessary to succeed in business and life. I found myself thinking about the EQ sessions daily and trying to implement the skills I learned. This summer was very beneficial for me, and I am very thankful for the opportunity to be a part of the BIP this summer.


Woodward ’22 – Schillings

Posted in 2021 Summer Internships, CIBE, CIBE Internship Program

Riley Woodward ’22 — First, I want to thank the Career Services Office and the Center for Innovation, Business & Entrepreneurship (CIBE) at Wabash College for connecting me with Schillings. Also, I want to thank the gracious donors for funding my internship and making it a reality. My experiences this summer will pay dividends and will help me with my career in the future. Experiencing firsthand corporate legal is not something many undergraduate students have the opportunity to obtain. I have already proudly discussed my duties this summer with professionals in my community and will continue to advocate for more students to have meaningful opportunities like this.

Schillings is a 75-year-old, family-owned business with multiple locations in Indiana and Illinois, with a headquarters in St. John, IN. I assisted in a significant overhaul of the Employee Manual, which required researching statutory requirements in both Illinois and Indiana. They communicate with multiple departments concerning company policies. Additionally, I worked closely with the General Counsel Kevin Hunt’ 01 on analyzing ways to improve efficiency in various departments. I further investigated corporate structuring options and prepared reports for the CEO.
Furthermore, I spent time working closely with the human resource department. I sat in and participated in several live-in-person interviews and orientations. I helped store management set up and execute employee and customer appreciation days, serving over 1,000 residents and contractors.

I want to thank General Counsel Kevin Hunt ’01 for reaching out to Wabash College to seek a student with legal aspirations. General Counsel Kevin Hunt ’01 made sure to let me in on many different projects, including some associated with Schillings land development division. After researching environmental issues, using the GIS, and attending city planning commission meetings, I am highly interested in doing similar work in the future. General Counsel Kevin Hunt ’01 is a great leader and indeed an outstanding alum. All in all, I am excited to use the connections I made this summer in the future!


Redmond II ’24 – Purchasing Platform, Inc.

Posted in 2021 Summer Internships, CIBE, CIBE Internship Program

Edreece Redmond II ’24 — First, I want to take the time to thank all the gracious donors for providing the funding necessary for me to complete an internship with Purchasing Platform, Inc. through the Center for Innovation, Business & Entrepreneurship (CIBE) at Wabash College this summer. In addition, I would like to extend my thanks to Associate Dean Roland Morin ’91, CIBE Senior Fellow Anthony Mendez ’20, and former CIBE Senior Fellow Alejandro Reyna ’17 for organizing and leading the Business Innovation Program (BIP) this summer.

This summer, I was blessed to have had an incredible experience working with Purchasing Platform, Inc., a start-up out of Chicago, IL. Purchasing Platform, Inc. is a centralized marketplace that leverages buying power of its members while saving businesses time and money. I was a part of the Marketing Department at Purchasing Platform that benefited my overall experience. Throughout the summer, I acquired many different skills working on platforms that I had not previously used while making a difference in their social media presence. I completed many projects throughout the internship and had the opportunity to work with other teams inside the company, so I had a well-rounded view of how each group works and pieces to help the company as a whole.

Throughout the BIP, we examined several Harvard Business School case studies. Various alumni generously sacrificed their time to lead several Harvard Business School case studies. These proved to be very informative, each case study covering a different aspect of a business – marketing, sales, management, finance, entrepreneurship, etc. In addition to gaining valuable information through the case studies, we also went through emotional intelligence training, which worked on our soft skills. On top of this, we participated in educational workshops and exercises such as Excel, LEAN Process Improvement/A3 Thinking, and PowerPoint to improve our technical skills.

As you can see, my experience this summer was informative and productive. I am grateful that I had the opportunity to learn as much as I did and be a part of the BIP this summer.


Kercheval ’23 – Pneuma Media

Posted in 2021 Summer Internships, CIBE, CIBE Internship Program

Max Kercheval ’23 — This summer, I interned at a company called Pneuma Media, LLC through the Center for Innovation, Business & Entrepreneurship (CIBE) at Wabash College. I would like to thank Wabash and CIBE for being able to provide funding for this wonderful experience! More specifically, I would like to thank Associate Dean Roland Morin ’91, CIBE Senior Fellow Anthony Mendez ’20, and my mentor David Riggs ’20 for the growth I have achieved this summer!

At Pneuma, I was mentored by David Riggs ’20, Founder and CEO at Pneuma Media LLC. Some of my tasks for the summer included working in programs like Airtable, Google Workspace, Slack, etc. I was given the role as a Sales Development Representative this summer as well as working in a Partnership role for Pneuma. I was tasked with finding good leads through cold outreach, referral scrapping, and LinkedIn connections to pitch prospects opportunities of Website Redesign/Development and Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Strategy. I would also use my mentor David for any additional advice when it came to sales and life in general!

The last two months I have been tasked with finding prospects and qualified leads to take through the Pneuma Sales Process. The end goal of this being to help those in need of a brand-new website and/or a solid SEO Strategy. I would meet with the prospects and present a deck of potential opportunities as well as case studies. I would also be looking out for companies who meet the qualifications of Pneuma’s Partnership Program. I would meet with the heads of these companies and present a deck of what the general partnership would entail, as well as the monetary gain that could be given to both parties if the partnership was to take place.

Something I am grateful for learning with this experience is learning to be adaptable. With this internship, there were times where I was having to learn a lot on the fly and learn it fast, and I was able to adapt well with the help of David Riggs ’20 and the team to get me up to speed. Having the presence of mind to do this has enhanced my adaptability and being outgoing to learn new things, even if they seem scary. Having learned this critical skill will help me tremendously with the rest of my time at Wabash and Again, I could not be more thankful to Associate Dean Roland Morin ’91, CIBE Senior Fellow Anthony Mendez ’20, David Riggs ’20, and the entire Pneuma Media, LLC family for giving me this wonderful opportunity to showcase my knowledge and help me grow and develop more than I ever thought I could!


Rapp ’24 – Archon Tech Strategies

Posted in 2021 Summer Internships, CIBE, CIBE Internship Program

Jackson Rapp ’24 — This summer, I participated in the Business Innovation Program (BIP) through the Center for Innovation, Business & Entrepreneurship (CIBE) at Wabash College over the summer. Within this program, I worked 30 hours per week for Archon Tech Strategies and spent an additional ten hours a week in productive lectures with various Wabash alumni. Based in Carmel, IN, Archon Tech Strategies provides technology solutions that are flexible and customizable to meet customer needs. The BIP lectures have developed a combination of soft and hard skills to prepare us for successful futures in the business world. These skills included Excel skills, developing better emotional intelligence (EQ), and networking skills. In addition to developing these skills, we also ran through Harvard Business School case studies to put ourselves in the shoes of other successful start-ups.

Outside of the BIP, I spent my summer working virtually with Archon Tech Strategies, where I engaged with the marketing, quality assurance, and project management teams. Each week I rotated between departments where I completed various tasks such as developing SEO ads, running usability tests and using their software to check for potential bugs. At the end of the internship, my coworkers and I completed a final project. We developed a slides deck and gave a professional presentation to a group of investors.

None of this would be possible without Associate Dean Roland Morin ’91, CIBE Senior Fellow Anthony Mendez ’20, and the rest of the leaders and participants in the BIP. A great thanks to all of them for their hard work this summer to give students the experience we need going into the workforce. Lastly, I want to thank the sincere donors of Wabash College for funding this terrific opportunity.


Hall ’24 – Purchasing Platform, Inc.

Posted in CIBE, CIBE Internship Program

Richard Hall ’24 — First, I want to thank Wabash and the Center for Innovation, Business & Entrepreneurship (CIBE) for the opportunity to develop valuable skills in business and life that will no doubt help me in my career. I would like to especially thank CIBE Senior Fellow Anthony Mendez ’20 for leading the day-to-day efforts of the Business Innovation Program (BIP) and Associate Dean Roland Morin ’91 for overseeing this program and ensuring that I and others have this opportunity.

The BIP allowed me to have the opportunity to spend the last eight weeks with Purchasing Platform, Inc., an e-commerce company for mobile home community managers. Purchasing Platform, Inc. offered me a role on their Special Projects Management Team as the Vendor Operations Intern. I facilitated the communication between vendors or suppliers like Home Depot and Lowe’s and community managers for mobile home parks across America. Many of them are overworked and underpaid and are focused on saving money on materials for their next project. While my work started pretty simple with my onboarding into the quote building software over the first couple of weeks, my role eventually extended from vendor and customer contact to order fulfillment. Among other things, I have had my hands in helping continue to build out the catalog while gaining exposure to Salesforce and project planning.

Along the way, I have also had the opportunity to have valuable interaction with Wabash alumni in the business world. Purchasing Platform, Inc. CEO Dave Bowen ’99 was gracious enough to sit down with me and my fellow Wabash interns to take us through the most currently pressing issues at the forefront of the company and offer us plenty of great advice in the meantime. While the BIP itself was educational in hard and soft skills alike, I learned the value of team meetings. Between learning about the mission of the company, the long-term trends of revenue, and pitches of the latest approach at securing more funding; we often heard valuable stories about not just how to form connections in business like using authenticity as your best sales pitch, but how to balance the ambitions of your career and personal life.

As my internship with Purchasing Platform, Inc. concludes next week, I have the opportunity to apply the world of e-commerce and the soft skills of the business. The skills I acquired from the program can be on display there as I will carry forward what I have learned into my next professional experience.


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