Senior Outcome Survey

As we prepare to celebrate the class of 2022, we are asking all graduating seniors to complete Indiana Tech’s Outcome Survey at the link below. This will ensure that we are prepared to help all graduating seniors for life after college. If you are the parent of a graduating senior, please encourage your student to complete the survey if they have not already done so.

Internships provide a meaningful learning opportunity for students and are an ideal way for students to:

Simply put, we cannot stress enough the importance of internships. In today's competitive job market, the hands-on real-world experience your student will receive from an internship might be what tips the scale in their favor during a future job search. While most students enjoy their summer break away 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/. 

Spring Bling Fling is the annual campuswide year-end event hosted by the Office of Student Engagement in partnership with Residence Life. This year's event was 90s themed, and included several inflatables along with a dunk tank, where students were happy to have the chance to dunk President Einolf; athletic director, Jessie Biggs; AVP of student services, Chris Dickson; and residence life coordinator, Javier Castenada! Check out some snapshots from the event below.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month! While there are many mental health resources on campus to support students during the school year, it’s equally important to maintain positive mental health over summer break. Below are five tips for parents to help students foster positive mental health! You can also find additional mental health resources online. For any additional questions reach out to Jozy Garrison at JAGarrison@indianatech.edu or 260.422.5561, ext. 2158. 

1: Maintain a routine: Routines are vital to maintaining positive mental health. Create a new routine for summer break right at the start. Be sure to include a consistent sleep schedule, regular movement/exercise, consistent meals and self-care. 

2: Establish self-care: Self-care is the preventive measures we put in place that attend to our emotional, mental, spiritual and physical health. Regular self-care can help prevent distress and burnout. Identify a few self-care tasks that you can add into a daily routine. 

3: Medication and therapy maintenance: Maintaining medications and therapy is key to creating positive mental health over break. If therapy is not an option while at home due to financial, insurance or other reasons, there are some other options available. Therapy Assistance Online (TAO), is available FREE to Indiana Tech students. TAO offers confidential online mental health assistance programs. Sign up with your Indiana Tech email at us.taoconnect.org. 

4: Create a plan: In the event of a mental health crisis, it’s important to have a plan in place. At the beginning of break identify and write down the following: triggers, coping skills, safe places, supports you can call/text and how others can help. Keep this plan in a safe place that is easily accessible in the event of a crisis. 

5: Have the conversation: As students begin returning home, create a patient and supportive environment for them to come home to. Have open conversations with them about their mental health and ask how you can best support them. Talking about mental health can be uncomfortable at first but it’s the best way to help end the stigma and offer help. 

Andrea Crilly - Assistant Director of Admissions for Campus Experience 

Erica Lay - Assistant Director of Admissions

Final thoughts from a fellow mom

Karl and I are looking forward to celebrating with both of our sons this month. Nicholas will graduate with his MBA from Indiana Tech on May 13. It will be exciting to watch Karl hand him his diploma. I always congratulate all graduates as they come down from the stage, so I hope I can hold it together when Nicholas comes down the stairs.

A week after our graduation ceremonies at Indiana Tech, we will be driving to Pennsylvania to attend Thomas’s graduation ceremony at Washington & Jefferson College. He is graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics.

In the last issue, I mentioned that both of our sons are in a state of transition. I do have one update. We learned just a couple of weeks ago that Thomas was accepted to a doctoral program in math education at Columbia University. He will finish teaching this month in West Virginia, live with us in Fort Wayne this summer and then head to the Big Apple in late August to begin his studies. Karl and I are proud of him!

Later this month, Karl and I will hit the road again to visit alumni and prospective donors in Portland, Oregon, and Seattle, Washington. From there, we will take a short vacation trip to Juneau, Alaska, and then visit two of our students who live in North Pole, Alaska!

I hope you all have a wonderful summer. Congratulations to those of you who are parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles of one of our graduates. I know you are proud!