Internship connects SPEA students with sustainability

Internship connects O’Neill students with sustainability

Posted on November 19, 2018 by Leslie Wells

SPEA's Gifty Adusei (L) and Keep Indianapolis Beautiful's Kelly DeRolf (R) look at the health of plants and trees in a community green space on the south side of Indianapolis — SPEA’s Gifty Adusei (L) and Keep Indianapolis Beautiful’s Kelly DeRolf (R) look at the health of plants and trees in a community green space on the south side of Indianapolis.

“I want people to see sustainability the way I see it,” Gifty Adusei says, smiling. “I don’t want to talk sustainability; I want to live it.”

She spends much of her time checking local green spaces around Indianapolis. The O’Neill Environmental Policy and Sustainability graduate student is looking at how plants are faring, checking on the health of the trees, and whether the neighbors who partnered with Keep Indianapolis Beautiful to create this space are working to maintain it.

Adusei’s sustainability journey began more than 5,600 miles from Indianapolis. While pursuing her undergraduate degree in her native Ghana, Adusei was introduced to environmental management. She knew she wanted to take that mission further but would need more experience and education under her belt.

While still in Ghana, she worked for a nonprofit focused on community sustainability.

“It was quite obvious that a lot of the problems the local people had were linked to issues with sustainability practices,” Adusei says. “They hadn’t gotten to the point where they appreciated the things that would help them in terms of farming or bodies of water, for example.”

Adusei wants to be the one to change that, but she says the courses she needed to prepare weren’t available in Ghana.

“One of the things I was looking for was a program that emphasized the practical side of sustainability,” she adds. “I saw O’Neill’s internships and capstone project and knew it would give me that practical experience I was searching for.”

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Despite losing Amazon HQ2, Indianapolis region is still leading the new Midwest

Posted on November 13, 2018 by Leslie Wells

After more than a year of intense competition, Amazon has announced its decision for its much sought-after HQ2. Company officials announced Tuesday that they had selected two locations the company selected two locations, rather than one, and will evenly split the 50,000 jobs and its headquarters between Arlington, Virginia, and New York City.

In an unexpected announcement, Amazon also announced that Nashville will become the home of a new operations hub, bringing an additional 5,000 jobs to the city.

For more than a year, communities across North America—including the Indianapolis region—developed and presented proposals to Amazon, all vying for the $5 billion project.

IU Public Policy Institute senior analyst Drew Klacik was among the experts who assisted in developing the city’s pitch. Klacik specializes in looking at the impact and interrelated nature of economic decisions. He says the Indy region worked diligently to communicate the assets that make it competitive among a field of much larger cities.

“Indianapolis and the surrounding communities have a lot to offer for workforce development and economic opportunity, but also in terms of quality of life factors,” Klacik said. “The Indianapolis region as a whole is really redefining what it means to be a Midwestern metropolitan area. They’re leading the way on a new Midwest.”

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HobNob internship gives students Indiana Statehouse insight

Posted on November 12, 2018 by Leslie Wells

Sydnee Cseresznyes selected to serve as the 2019 HobNob Intern for the Indy Chamber of Commerce. Sydnee holding $5,000 check. — Sydnee Cseresznyes was selected to serve as the 2019 HobNob Intern for the Indy Chamber of Commerce.

O’Neill graduate student Sydnee Cseresznyes will soon have the opportunity to see the state legislature through a new lens. Cseresznyes was named the new HobNob intern for the Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce on October 29. She’ll begin her new position in January and stay for the duration of the 2019 legislative session.

The internship is awarded annually to an O’Neill IUPUI graduate student who is interested in public policy, political action, and advocacy. It includes a $5,000 stipend from Cripe Architects.

Andrew Bean knows the journey upon which Cseresznyes is embarking. He was awarded the same position in 2017.

Andrew Bean served as the HobNob Intern during the 2018 legislative session

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The First Generation

Posted on November 8, 2018 by Leslie Wells

Being the first in the family to attend college can be a challenging path to travel. Without an experienced family member to guide them through the process, many first-generation students may feel lost or overwhelmed by the campus experience. But SPEA’s faculty and staff understand the obstacles first-gen students face because many were once in the same position.

SPEA assistant professor Adam Eckerd is one of those. He shared details about his own experience as a first-gen student and advice for students blazing the trail for their families.

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Travel scholarship makes a world of difference for first-generation students

Posted on November 5, 2018 by Leslie Wells

SPEA students studying abroad standing in a plaza in Venice. — SPEA Abroad students, including Elias Rebollar (right), visit Venice.

Studying abroad may be a priceless experience, but it often comes with a high cost.

“I love traveling but it’s expensive, especially as a student,” says Kari Parmeter, a SPEA Indianapolis public safety management major.

Course costs, plane tickets, lodging, and other expenses can put these once-in-a-lifetime opportunities out of reach for many students. But the SPEA IUPUI International Travel Scholarship can help bridge the financial gap, especially for underrepresented students.

Kari Parmeter visits Tel Aviv during her SPEA Abroad program in Israel.

For first-gen students who are already blazing their own trail through higher education, the scholarship allows them another opportunity to see their field of interest through a different lens, gain a deeper understanding of other cultures, and see how their work can extend across borders.

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