Ohio State students gain work experience through summer internships

Ohio State students gain work experience through summer internships

Wheeler and Wolstein program connects students with central Ohio firms

Students in a variety of majors gained practical work experience this summer by participating in the Wheeler and Wolstein Internship Program. The students made presentations highlighting the projects they worked on at central Ohio companies during an Aug. 9 event at The Ohio State University's Student Entrepreneurs' Center, home of the Keenan Center for Entrepreneurship.

The program provides scholarship funding to undergraduate and graduate students in internships with startup companies and small businesses. Students are matched with organizations offering project-based internships throughout Ohio State's summer term (May-August).

"This is an exciting program for us because it gives students an opportunity for real world work experiences and to do some fun things," said Cheryl Turnbull, senior director of Ohio State's Keenan Center for Entrepreneurship, a campus-wide hub for the development of student entrepreneurs and part of Ohio State's Enterprise for Research, Innovation and Knowledge.

The Wheeler and Wolstein Internship Program is funded by contributions from the late Tom Wheeler, an industrial engineer and Ohio State alumnus, and the Bert and Iris Wolstein Foundation.

"The dollars that they give go 100% to allowing students to have an internship that our startup companies and small businesses don't have to pay for," Turnbull said. "It's a win-win for our companies and for our students. Students get a great experience, and the companies have access to this awesome talent."

This summer, students interned at companies ranging from business incubators to real estate development companies to technology firms. Several of the host companies got their start through the Ohio State President's Buckeye Acceleratorprogram that helps students launch business ventures.

Information systems major Parker Haskett interned for one such company, ParaWave, which provides drone technology to first responders. Haskett said he gained valuable experience while managing the company's social media and website. He also created a three-page leaflet detailing the company's services for prospective clients.

"I made their new website from scratch using WordPress. … I did get to use my interest in website design," Haskett said. "I was able to combine my knowledge of ParaWave into this three-pager."

Radiologic sciences and therapy major Safa Mohamed oversaw customer relationship management operations for PointPro. The company assists businesses in assessing risks and managing assets.

"I gained exposure to the technology industry, which I hadn't had before," she said. "Working remotely caused me to manage my time very efficiently."

Biomedical engineering major Hari Kasi interned for the Ohio Innovation Fund, a business incubator. He conducted market research and brainstormed growth strategies for various central Ohio companies.

Kasi said the internship complemented his personal interest in entrepreneurship. He is a co-founder of Almara, a startup that was one of the winning teams in this year's President's Buckeye Accelerator. The company aims to connect cancer patients with potentially life-saving clinical trials.

Kasi said his internship with the Ohio Innovation Fund culminated with a capstone project that enabled him to draw on his background in clinical research. He assisted life sciences and biomedical companies in coordinating clinical trials.

"Working really close with companies was amazing because you got to see how the team develops and see investment and how to keep fueling growth on their journey," he said. "That really interested me to see how you can position yourself during the clinical trial stage to be successful."

City and regional planning major Brady Foy interned with real estate firm Spire Development, working with the company's team to analyze the current state of central Ohio's real estate market and project future trends.

"I gained a lot of understanding of the real estate world," he said. "I worked on the development side, I worked with property management, [completed] a lot of the bookkeeping stuff, which is something I've never even thought about. [I exchanged] a lot of emails with all different parts of the business. It was my first 9-to-5 experience."

Shannon Bradley, the Keenan Center's program coordinator for entrepreneurial programs and talent, encouraged the students to draw on their internship experiences when they enter the workforce.

"Every project that you worked on has a direct impact on the company," she told the students. "I encourage you to tell that story to future employers. Make sure you're showcasing what you've done."

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