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Welcome to the April edition of the Warrior Family Association e-newsletter. The spring semester is almost over, and soon our graduates will be walking across the stage at one of our May 15 commencement ceremonies. Yes, you read that right! We are holding commencement in person this year! We will hold three different ceremonies that day—one for each college—to allow our graduates’ families to all come and enjoy the momentous occasion. If your student is graduating in May, please be sure to look at the “Mark Your Calendar” section of this newsletter for the schedule. Also, please feel free to come by and introduce yourself to me!
In March, Indiana Tech was fortunate enough to have New York Times best-selling author, Kelsey Timmerman, on campus. Kelsey lives in nearby Muncie, Indiana, and writes about people around the world who make the products we use and grow the food we eat. After Kelsey graduated from college, he used money that his grandparents gave him to visit other parts of the world and to see how other people live. He traveled to many countries where he visited factories and met the workers that made his clothes. He wrote about these experiences in his first book: “Where Am I Wearing.” In his speech on our campus, Kelsey discussed his most recent book, “Where Am I Giving, A Global Adventure Exploring How to Use Your Gifts and Talents.” He challenged our students to think about how they will use their gifts and talents to help others. It was an inspiring and thought-provoking presentation.
To see a video of Kelsey’s presentation, click here.
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| Major Zollner Renovations
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Indiana Tech recently announced a major expansion and renovation of the Zollner Engineering Center on its main campus in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The university will invest $21.5 million in the project, which will nearly double the current size of the facility and result in an all-new home for Indiana Tech’s growing programs in engineering, computer sciences, cybersecurity, life sciences, technology and more.
Construction will begin in May 2021, with a groundbreaking event scheduled for May 14. The first phase of the project will include the construction of a 30,000 square foot addition to the east side of the current facility. The addition will be completed by August 2022. The next phases of the project will begin in May 2022 and include a complete renovation of the existing Zollner Center space, resulting in an all-new, 70,000 square foot, three-floor facility that will be complete in the fall of 2023.
For more details about the renovation, read the full story by clicking here.
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| RISE Awards and Summer Internships
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On Wednesday, April 21, Indiana Tech’s Career Center held its annual RISE (Recognizing Interns, Students and Employers for Outstanding Work) Awards ceremony online. Congratulations to Payton Smith, Chandler Cook, and Paxton Simerman for being recognized as this year's winners among a field of students who excelled in their internships and jobs.
Internships provide a meaningful learning opportunity for students and are an ideal way for students to:
- Figure out their interests (and create new ones)
- Connect to industry professionals
- Learn in a safe environment
- Get exposure to office politics and culture
- Connect to additional internship and employment opportunities
With all the competition for jobs after graduation along with the valuable experience they'll gain, your student can’t afford to ignore the importance of internships. While most students enjoy their summer break from classes, it is the perfect time for a student to build their resume and gain career-ready skills with an internship!
A parent's key role in this process is to serve as an advisor; by offering guidance, but allowing your student to take the lead. It’s appropriate to proofread resumes and cover letters, share internship prospects you find or hear about and discuss their career and professional goals. You can also be a cheerleader when (not if) your student encounters disappointment while applying for internships. They may need to apply for 10 or 12 before landing one!
Your student is embarking on their own unique academic and professional journey. Internships should be a central part of their college experience, helping them not only to secure employment after graduation but also have confidence that the job they choose will fit their personal and career goals. Encourage your student to contact Indiana Tech's Career Center for assistance at 260.422.5561, ext. 2217, or careercenter@indianatech.edu. They can also visit their website to explore resources and opportunities: https://careercenter.indianatech.edu/job-search-prep/ .
Article adapted from "Internships Help Your College Student Build Career-Ready Skills" by Suzanne Shaffer on collegiateparent.com.
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Mark Your CalendarTuesday, April 27: Cap and gown pickup in Andorfer Commons
Friday, May 7: Last day of classes
Monday, May 10 – Thursday, May 13: Final exams
Saturday, May 15: Commencement
Allen County War Memorial Coliseum, 4000 Parnell Ave, Fort Wayne, IN 46805
• 9:30 a.m.: College of Arts and Sciences Ceremony
• 12:30 p.m.: College of Business Ceremony
• 3:30 p.m.: College of Engineering and School of Computer Sciences Ceremony
*Times, date and ability to hold our commencement ceremony in person is subject to change, depending on state and local guidelines related to COVID-19.
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Dr. Steve Dusseau
Professor of Industrial & Manufacturing Engineering
- My favorite food is French fries.
- My favorite movie is, “It’s a Wonderful Life.”
- I love a wide range of music genres, from classical to hard rock, but my favorite band is U2.
- In college, I compressed my four-year undergraduate degree into six years. Yes, I went full-time. No, I didn’t change my major, but thanks for asking.
Carrie Rodesiler
Assistant Professor of English
- I am the proud pet parent of two mischievous Whippets named Zenyatta and Dior.
- This is the second year I have worked with students on the Indiana Tech Veterans Oral History Project, a community-based project wherein students learn about primary research techniques while interviewing military veterans and service members in the Fort Wayne community.
- My spouse and I love to travel and plan to visit all 50 states by the time we turn 50 years old!
Staci Lugar Brettin
Associate Professor of Marketing and Management
- The first time I ever took a flight, I traveled to Russia. I spent a week between Moscow and Sochi in 1997 as a volunteer on a service project.
- In 1999 I decided to jump out of a perfectly good plane with some friends who loved skydiving. As much as the experience was a rush, I'm totally fine not repeating that experience.
- I volunteered to create the SPARK program for women entrepreneurs in South Bend, Indiana. The program was designed to provide women with mentors to complete a business plan and seek micro loans.
- I always wanted to teach at Indiana Tech, so when I saw an ad in 2006, it resonated with me. It said, “Your dreams didn’t die. They were just on hold. Come realize your dreams at Indiana Tech.” I wanted to teach at Indiana Tech because it reenergized people's dreams. It is authentic. That means a lot to me.
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Final thoughts from a fellow mom
It has been a quiet month for us. Just as Karl was getting back to exercising and biking after his knee surgery, I needed to have some minor surgery which has kept me at home and less visible on campus. But I am ready to head back to Central Grounds for breakfast and to Andorfer Commons for lunch so that I can interact with students again, something I miss very much.
We recently found out that Thomas received an internship with Parkview Health in Fort Wayne for this summer. The internship is in “informatics” and the department uses mathematical analysis to help doctors and health care administrators better serve patients and improve patient care. It sounds very complicated to me, but also very important. I am so happy that he will be living with us for a few months.
Nicholas continues his work at the pharmacy and is plugging away at his master’s degree at Indiana Tech. He and Mary were able to visit us for Easter and we enjoyed seeing them for a few days. They adore our dog, Ruby, and they take care of her (I really mean spoil her) when we go to Pittsburgh. This basically means that when they visit, Ruby follows them to wherever they are in the house.
Some exciting news: Karl’s grandmother (Dorothy) turns 100 years old on May 9. She lives in Maryland and her four sons and Karl (the oldest grandchild) will be taking her out to dinner to celebrate. Dorothy has been living in an assisted living facility that has been closed for most of the pandemic, so this will be a great treat for her!
I hope you are all doing well and looking forward to seeing some of you at graduation!
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