Career Development: Daryn Bronsink and Nathan Milner

By: Emily Neideck

Daryn Bronsink and Nathan Milner work in Career Development at Indiana Wesleyan University. This department has many unique qualities that guide students in their journey during and after college. Bronsink and Milner work specifically with students, helping them find jobs and internships during and after college.

Daryn Bronsink
Daryn Bronsink

Bronsink, the Employer Relations Coordinator, connects with employees within and outside of the state of Indiana. He stated, “I try to discover what their needs are, certain positions they need to fill or even, skills gaps they see within new employees.” Learning what skills students are missing when they enter the career world allows Bronsink to plan educational activities to strengthen those skills.

Not only does Bronsink seek out job opportunities for IWU students, but he also builds relationships with the employers. The employers, in turn, attend career fairs, recruiting events at the Career Development kiosk and mock interview days. Bronsink said, “I also do career coaching with students. I help them to discover where their skills fit within different careers. We also learn to write resumes, cover letters and do mock interviews.”

Nate Milner
Nate Milner

Milner, Internship Coordinator, oversees the Accelerate Indiana internship program. The program is a part of Lilly Endowment grant and places students in start-up companies around Indiana. The program not only allows start-up companies in Indiana to succeed, but gives students unique internship opportunities. Each internship is paid by Indiana Wesleyan.

The goal of the Lilly Endowment grant is to create jobs in Indiana, hoping that students will remain in the state upon graduation. Milner stated, “The program allows students to use the experience they gain to find a job after graduation, or even, to find a job within the same company in which they interned.” Internships and jobs in different states are also found for students. Students are also able to complete summer internships through Career Development. These internships can, in some cases, gain them credits toward their degree.

Amy Hobson, a Spring 2017 graduate, received an internship through Career Development. She said, “I think my internship was a great way for me to get real-word experience working in a small business. It opened my eyes to all of the working parts that are necessary when running a business, and it also allowed me to apply some of the concepts I had learned in the classroom.”

The university benefits highly from the Career Development program. Milner stated, “We are here to help students go beyond their four years in college. The program is a launching pad into their careers. We see more and more government, parent and people outside of the university that are looking at what students are learning in college.” Employers want to ensure that their employees have hands-on experience before entering the workforce, and the Career Development program enables that.

Bronsink and Milner work hard to engage the IWU community. They speak in different classes about the Career Development program opportunities. Career Development also hosts a Graduate School fair, different field trips, an Experience Indiana Job and Internship fair and different mock interview days. These different events allow students to discover jobs and internships and better prepare for life after graduation.

 

Written by Emily Neideck, writer for the Alumni Center and a junior Writing major at IWU. She is active on the cross country and track teams. She is passionate about using her writing skills to share the good news of Christ with others and writes often on her personal blog at www.emilylehner.wordpress.com.

The Refinery: Innovative Business Comes to Marion

Our own town of Marion, Indiana has brought a new and innovative business to the community to support independent professionals.

Indiana Wesleyan University partnered with Launch Fishers to open The Refinery Business Center on Thursday, September 24. The Refinery is a dynamic, affordable work environment for entrepreneurs, non-profits, remote workers, small businesses, contractors, start-ups, students and more.

The Refinery will be a great addition to the thriving entrepreneurial culture in central Indiana. It will offer co-working desks, conference rooms, private offices, Wi-Fi, a café area, patio seating and other professional office amenities for members and guests. The business is called The Refinery because is a place where people can develop and refine their ideas.

Alexis Dierker
Alexis Dierker

Alexis Dierker, a 2015 alum, is the Director of Community Relations. She cannot wait to support and encourage the creative and empowering environment of The Refinery and the brilliant minds there. “It’s important to me because, as a very recent graduate, I have heard a lot of people who like the idea of staying around Marion but they feel like they don’t have any opportunities, so they go other places,” she said.

Dierker has a passion for the business because she herself is an entrepreneur. She graduated with a photography degree and has been developing her own brand. “I identify a lot with what The Refinery is doing. I see the vision,” she said. “There were probably so many people who were more qualified for this position than me, but my boss could tell we wanted to pursue the same needs in the community.”

IMG_8540The Refinery has already given people so many opportunities to meet new faces and connect with those around the area. “One reason I felt driven to stay around Marion was because I wanted to get to know more of the community that I didn’t have the opportunity to meet before… Through this, I have gotten to know so many incredible people,” Dierker said.

Dierker is not the only young professional excited to be making connections through The Refinery. Lauran Burchell, a senior at IWU, is currently working as one of two interns. She serves as the Marketing and Member Services Coordinator. Burchell is studying Business Administration and Management, and she is excited to be a part of the growth of The Refinery and to use the skills she has learned in her experiences to encourage innovative development right in her hometown.

“I have already networked and met so many people that I never thought I would meet while in college,” Burchell said. “Many professionals from Indianapolis have already discussed my future with me and connected with me.”

The Refinery ribbon cutting on September, 24, 2015.
The Refinery ribbon cutting on September, 24, 2015.

Like Dierker, Burchell knows that this experience is shaping a way for her future. She chose to work at The Refinery instead of Launch Fishers because she desired to be a part of something new. “Not very many people can say they were actually part of a start up. I’m getting so much experience, and even though I’m not an entrepreneur starting my own business, I was part of one and I learned from it,” she said.

The Refinery welcomes visitors and is located at 2301 S. Western Ave. You can learn more about The Refinery at www.therefinerycenter.com.

 

Written by Kelly Reed. Kelly is a senior Strategic Communications major with a focus in Public Relations. She is the President of IWU PRSSA and hopes to work as a communications director of a nonprofit organization after graduation.