This article was written by Janiya Beason, communications intern for CICP.
Internships offer students more than workplace experience—they provide opportunities to develop new skills, build professional relationships, and explore potential career paths. This summer, four interns joined the CEOs of Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP) and its initiatives, contributing to projects that support Indiana’s advanced industries while gaining valuable real-world experience.
Hands-On Experience
From communications and marketing to business analysis and AI, each intern had the opportunity to contribute to projects with real impact this summer.
Janiya Beason, Communications Intern for CICP and a TechPoint Xtern, helped launch the See Yourself IN TikTok account, created a website feedback survey to gather user insights and opinions, contributed to a media kit, and collaborated on content and social media ideas.
Camila Garcia, Marketing Xtern for TechPoint, managed Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube content, created blog posts for the Xtern program, and interviewed Mira Awards finalists to help tell the stories of Indiana’s growing technology ecosystem.
Reflecting on her experience, Camila said one of the most rewarding aspects of the internship was the opportunity to work with many different platforms and audiences.
“I’ve learned how to adjust my voice and format depending on the platform and audience, which has been one of the most valuable parts of the experience.”
Gianna Bird, Business Analyst Intern for CICP, she supported outreach and logistics for the Indiana AI (IN AI) Roadshow while analyzing AI readiness among businesses across Indiana.
Krish Gajaria, AI Strategy and Innovation Intern at AgriNovus Indiana, focused on developing an AI implementation strategy to improve everyday operations, researching workforce development, and supporting the Velocity startup accelerator. One of the highlights of his internship was presenting AgriNovus’s AI strategy during a board meeting.
“Having the opportunity to share my thoughts and insights with a group of people coming from a myriad of different backgrounds was an incredibly valuable and formative experience that further reinforced my belief in the importance of communication.”
Together, these projects gave each intern the opportunity to make meaningful contributions while gaining hands-on experience in Indiana’s advanced industries.
Growing Professional Skills
Beyond their day-to-day responsibilities, each intern developed technical and professional skills that will prepare them well for future careers.
Camila expanded her digital marketing skillset by learning WordPress and writing SEO metadata for website content.
Janiya strengthened her collaborative skills while taking initiative and offering ideas in meetings, as well as researching how to connect and engage different audiences through content.
“One skill I’ve gained was giving my input and researching how we can reach different ages and audiences. Working in communications, I feel it’s important to know your target audience and how to engage them.”
Gianna built confidence through networking and connecting with professionals while promoting the IN AI initiative.
“This got me out of my comfort zone and talking with people I had never met before.”
For Krish, one of the biggest lessons was learning that effective communication is just as important as technical knowledge.
“Knowing how something works is one thing, but being able to break it down and share your knowledge with others is a whole new ball game.”
Looking Ahead
While each intern worked on different projects throughout the summer, the experience helped each of them gain a clearer vision for their future careers.
Camila hopes to use storytelling to help brands and organizations connect with diverse audiences through meaningful content.
“Marketing lets me shape how a story gets told, and international studies reminds me that the same story lands differently depending on the audience and culture. I love figuring out how to bridge that gap.”
Janiya looks forward to creating engaging content that reaches wider audiences and hopes to continue finding various ways to grab attention through content. She hopes one day to manage social media for major brands.
“What excites me the most is coming up with creative content that could reach a wider audience, and finding different ways to engage people. I also hope to possibly manage social media for big brands!”
Gianna says working at CICP showed her the value of a collaborative workplace where teammates celebrate one another’s successes.
For Krish, the internship reinforced his passion for applying business and technology across industries to solve meaningful challenges.
“I’m excited about the diversity. To me, business and economics are less about isolated fields of study and more about bringing new perspectives that can be applied across disciplines.”
As another successful summer comes to a close, these internships have provided students with more than just professional experience—they’ve offered opportunities to learn, grow, and make meaningful contributions to organizations shaping Indiana’s future. Through hands-on projects, mentorship, and collaboration, CICP continues to invest in the next generation of talent while helping students build the skills, confidence, and connections they’ll carry throughout their careers.
