Martin Messmer, NIU geology major, is the July 2007 winner. Messmer interned with the United States Geological Survey in Denver, Colorado, as a Physical Science Technician Intern. In describing his internship experience, Messmer stated, “My internship involved analyzing seismic data in the St. Louis metropolitan area as part of the St. Louis Area Earthquake Hazards Mapping Project. The models built from the data will be compared to other seismic imaging techniques such as reflection/refraction and borehole studies. The models, if reasonably accurate with the other methods, could provide valuable data for the St. Louis urban area for seismic risk assessment and site response. I entered this internship thinking the energy industry was my destination after graduation however this internship has opened up new doors to desirable careers other than those in energy. I feel my career goal has shifted towards engineering geology where I can be part of a hard-working team whose goal is to build safer infrastructure and communities for people around the world.”
Robert Williams, Geophysicist with the U.S. Geological Survey, spoke highly of Messmer stating, “Martin responded to each new job with both physical vigor and perseverance, and soon earned our confidence to work independently on many tasks. Martin takes his responsibilities seriously, works hard, and is always looking for ways to help make the project operate more efficiently. He became an extremely reliable and valuable member of our crew.”
Mark Fischer, NIU Professor of Geology, praised Messmer as “academically talented, inquisitive and capable of tackling nearly any task that is put before him. In my structural geology course Martin earned one of the highest grades I have ever awarded, which was an impressive feat for one of the department’s most rigorous and demanding classes.”
Paul Jonff, a graduate sports management major at NIU, completed a marketing internship with Rawlings Sporting Goods in St. Louis, Missouri. Jonff said, “The internship at Rawlings related very well to my academic studies. At NIU, the sports management curriculum is business specific and is one of the leading programs in the country. The classes this internship related to in my program included sports marketing, sports law, and sports finance. Some of the opportunities I received at Rawlings included: handling promotions and market research at the Men's and Women's College World Series and the Babe Ruth League World Series; competitive and internal product analysis for all major sporting goods companies; being involved with the marketing plans for the first annual high school and collegiate Rawlings Gold Glove award winners; creating a summary binder of all current licensee information and royalty breakdowns; and evaluating endorsed players' contracts. This internship with Rawlings Sporting Goods was better than I could have ever dreamed.”
David Zumbach, Vice President, Product Management, Brand and Sports Marketing and Licensing at the Rawlings Group, stated that, “Paul has done a fantastic job in helping us relaunch our licensing initiatives with our licensees.” Zumbach praised Jonff as, “a key contributor to all the initiatives undertaken in reestablishing the licensing division as a major contributor to the Rawlings Group of brands.”
Rodney Caughron, Ph.D., NIU Sports Management Associate Professor commented on Paul’s academic performance by stating, “I typically do not let students do their internships in the first summer of their degree program, but Paul has demonstrated the intelligence and leadership abilities that I advocate my students acquire during their time at NIU. Paul has opened up a great future opportunity for our students in sports management with one of the top equipment and apparel manufacturers in sporting goods because of the excellent job he has done at the company.”
Sharaelle Arizmendi, an NIU public administration graduate student, is the October 2007 winner. Arizimendi interned with the United States Citizenship & Immigration Services in Washington, D.C. and Chicago, Illinois, as a student intern. In describing her internship experience, Arizimendi stated, “Through my internship, I was able to accomplish many objectives that many do not get to experience throughout their college career. My internship in Washington, D.C. for the Executive Secretariat (EXSEC) within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), has been a life changing opportunity. Through my high school and college undergraduate years, I had always enjoyed learning about new regulations and changes that were being made in our nation’s immigration policies. This past summer immigration debates became very important issues, which concerned many illegal immigrants and Americans as well. I was very fortunate to have worked for the EXSEC while Congress debated a new Immigration Reform Act. The exposure I received was astounding to me, but most importantly having a position with the EXSEC office gave me an amazing opportunity by allowing me to gain exposure to many important issues, as well as the ability to meet well recognized and respectable people. This internship has allowed me to grow personally and professionally, and that is something that cannot be taught in a classroom. I feel that my internship was one of the most valuable experiences I was able to take away from my four years as an undergraduate.”
Yvette LaGonterie, Chief, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, spoke highly of Arizmendi stating, “The Office of the Executive Secretariat is a relatively new branch within USCIS and Ms. Arizmendi was one of the first student interns employed by this office. Often people who contact this agency seeking assistance or raising concerns lack the ability to articulate clearly their desires and issues. Preparing a response to such individuals requires more than just knowledge of immigration rules and regulations; it also requires that the responder have the ability to comprehend the writer’s meaning and the skill to explain complex issues in clear, simple and compassionate language. One of Ms. Arizmendi’s duties while working in this office involved assisting in the program to maintain quality control over outgoing correspondence. I was very impressed with how quickly she was able to demonstrate the knowledge, abilities and skill to perform her duties. In her short time with us, she established a benchmark that will be difficult for future interns to meet.”
Vicki Clarke, PhD, Program and Internship Coordinator, NIU Division of Public Administration, highly praised Sharaelle and her internship experience. Clarke stated, “Very few NIU students have had the opportunity to intern in Washington through The Washington Center. That Sharaelle was able to be placed at the top of the agency working directly with the Chief of Citizenship and Immigration Services is remarkable. ”