From keeping visitors safe at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis to assisting lawmakers at the Indiana Statehouse and helping to protect lakes and watershed areas across rural Hoosier counties, O’Neill School students are stepping into meaningful internships across the state—connecting classroom knowledge with hands-on public service that leaves a lasting impact. 

In the 2024–25 academic year alone, O’Neill students from both IU Bloomington and IU Indianapolis completed 546 internships in 43 Indiana counties, contributing nearly 99,000 hours of public service to communities throughout the state. Of those, O‘Neill Indianapolis students filled 60 internships across seven counties, serving 13,520 hours during the 2024–25 academic year.

Whether advancing sustainability, supporting healthcare operations, contributing to public safety, or strengthening civic engagement, O’Neill students are playing an active role in addressing Indiana’s most pressing challenges. 

Making a difference in downtown Indianapolis 

With thousands of internship hours centered in Marion County, O’Neill students gain critical experience in state and city government, homeland security, and law enforcement. 

O’Neill’s location in the heart of downtown Indianapolis means students are just steps away from where leaders make decisions that have a statewide impact. 

Madelynn Coy, a Public Management and Leadership major, interned as a legislative assistant for the Indiana State Senate. She says the opportunity enhanced the lessons she had already learned through O’Neill. 

“Seeing classroom concepts come to life in the real world gave me a deeper, more practical understanding of my education,” she says. 

The internship also helped her sharpen her professional skills, gain hands-on experience, and provide critical connections for her future. 

“My internship at the Statehouse allowed me to connect with state officials, university presidents, and lobbyists alike,” she recalled. “This experience not only paved the way for a full-time role with the Indiana State Senate but also laid the foundation for a lifelong commitment to growth, service, and continued learning.” 

From the Indiana Statehouse to the Indianapolis Mayor’s Office and Indiana State Police, students are seeing firsthand how public systems work—and how they can help improve them. 

Criminal Justice major Nyklas Bussard interned with both the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives as well as the Indiana State Police during the summer of 2025. 

“I did ride-alongs with troopers that involved traffic stops, pursuits, writing tickets and crash reports, escorting people to jail or the hospital,” he recalls. “Pretty much anything you could imagine a trooper doing in a shift, I got to do.” 

Through his two internships, Bussard gained hands-on experience and learned how investigations are conducted to keep people safe in Indiana and beyond. 

He says while the ATF operated at a slower pace than ISP, they dealt with drastically more serious crimes. His time at the ATF allowed him to watch how agencies investigate people accused of federal crimes, from surveillance to interviews and more. 

“I feel both internship experiences helped me gain valuable knowledge about the career field I hope to pursue,” he says. “It showed me how state- and federal-level positions vary and helped me realize that—at this time—I like the faster paced environment of local law enforcement more than the federal side.” 

Across the state, O’Neill students advance care, inspire support, and build sustainable futures

Gracyn Bogie, a Health Management student in Bloomington, interned with Trilogy Health Services’ Central South Division. For Bogie, the experience provided a close-up view of healthcare operations. From supporting CNA recruitment and helping with room inspections to participating in dementia training and care plan meetings, she gained broad exposure across multiple sites. 

“This summer, I’ve been learning about government compliance procedures, following the team as they tackle unique industry challenges, and getting to know all the inputs that go into everyday operations,” Bogie says. “It’s amazing to see the process and the impact that decisions make on these communities, while also getting to know the community itself.” 

Jessyka Brown, a Nonprofit Management and Leadership student, is using her public affairs training to support donor engagement and storytelling at the Riley Children’s Foundation. 

“Within this role, I am able to steward donors of all levels by sharing stories from Riley families, creating and distributing impact reports related to their philanthropic gifts, and developing and executing engagement plans. I am given a lot of flexibility to assist with event planning, marketing, donor engagement, and much more,” Brown explains. “It is really special to be able to work with a place that has done so much for me personally, and seeing the ‘behind the scenes’ of it all is truly so inspiring.” 

In South Bend, MPA student Cameron Schilling is increasing access to energy-efficient home technology through his internship as a McKinney Climate Fellow with the Heat Pump Accelerator Program. 

“My focus during this internship is to promote heat pumps as a viable form of energy-efficient home heating and cooling. To accomplish this goal, I, along with my cohort members, have been developing public-facing outreach materials, engaging with community members, developing relationships with host sites, championing contractors to perform installations in our communities, and more,” Schilling says. “Through the implementation of this project, we hope to effect change by showing the benefits and efficacy of heat pumps across Indiana.” 

Aparna Mathew, an MSES student and McKinney Climate Fellow, is gaining experience in both sustainability planning and public infrastructure through her internship with the City of Terre Haute—work that aligns with her goal of creating solutions that drive environmental and social change. 

“I support a citywide transit infrastructure project aimed at evaluating all existing bus stops in Terre Haute—assessing conditions, identifying priority locations, and developing inclusive shelter designs. I’m also involved in the Wabash Riverfront Master Plan and work with the city’s Sustainability Commission to help implement the Climate Ready Terre Haute plan,” Mathew said. “This fellowship is a fantastic opportunity for me to apply my academic knowledge in real-world settings, learn from experienced professionals, and contribute to meaningful climate action efforts.” 

Putting skills into practice—and into service 

O’Neill students aren’t just preparing for their careers—they’re already making a difference. Through hands-on experience in public safety, healthcare, government, and the nonprofit sector, they’re turning their passion into purpose and building stronger communities across Indiana.