Meet our FALL 2014 Interns!

A new season is upon us, so The International Center autumn make a change! This fall, we welcome a new batch of interns ranging in backgrounds and interests. We asked all nine of them to share a little about his or her self for our blog. Because of their shared love of travel, we also asked each to share a favorite travel photo. So before we fall behind, here are the interns!

Kathryn Cleary – Development Intern

Kathryn in Mt. San Jacinto, Southern California

Hello! Jambo! Bonjour! I’m Kathryn! I chose to intern with The International Center due to my key interest in foreign relations as well as non-profit management. My future goals are not set in stone, but I am sure they will push me into the non-profit industry. I am currently Development Intern, working with Development Manager, Magdalena Josipovic.

I am originally from Palm Springs, California. I know what most of you are thinking; why on earth would someone move from sunny SoCal, to Indiana? The truth is, I wanted to experience something completely different from what I was used to! I came to Indianapolis to study at Butler University for the past 2 years, majoring in both International Studies and French, with a minor in African Studies. However, a part of me was never quite satisfied with the challenge and adventure of an American University setting. After researching opportunities to study abroad for a semester at a time, it wasn’t enough for me. Starting February 2015, I will actually be transferring to a University in South Africa to finish my undergraduate studies. I am very excited for this opportunity! Travelling to the African continent has been a dream of mine for many years, but the truth about dreams however, is that they are best made a reality. I know it will be challenging moving to a completely new culture but I am confident that the adventure will be well worth the challenge!

Aside from being the busy bee intern, as well as navigating the waters of becoming an international transfer student, I love to ride horses, listen to foreign music, and travel. Although my travels have not taken me outside of North America, I cannot express how many beautiful things I have seen from inside our own United States borders. From the white sandy beaches of Central Florida, to the exquisite cavernous rock formations of Bryce Canyon, Utah, I have been blessed to be able to see so much.

Philip Gray – Protocol Intern

Philip in Germany

Hey everyone, my name is Philip Gray and I am the fall 2014 Protocol Intern here at The International Center. I am proud to call myself a Hoosier and I have had the wonderful opportunity to call Indianapolis my home. I graduated from DePauw University in May of 2013 with a degree in Conflict Studies. The concentration of my major was in African history and post-conflict development in African conflict zones. Drawing from the disciplines of history, political science, and anthropology, Conflict Studies has allowed me to continue my passion for African studies as well as help pursue a goal of becoming a global citizen.  

While I hail from Indianapolis, I have had ample opportunities to travel the world and discover new cultures. Whether it is backpacking through South East Asia and Central America or visiting relatives in Europe, every international experience of mine has helped me grow into who I am today. To intern at The International Center is an amazing opportunity that expands on my past experiences and allows me to gain valuable insight into what it means to work at a truly global organization. I’m excited for the challenges and opportunities this internship will bring, and I can’t wait to experience it all!



Ashalyn Hardy – IVLP Intern

Ashalyn in Peru

Hello! My name is Ashalyn Hardy, and I am from Indianapolis, IN. I am a junior at Butler University, where I am studying International Studies and Economics. I am the International Visitors Leadership Program Intern under Beth Barich, and I am thrilled to be a part of The International Center! What drew me to this internship was the opportunity to gain hands-on, impactful experience with international visitors from all over the world. My placement with the IVLP program came at the optimum time, as I have just returned from my first semester abroad in South America. With the fresh perspective of a recently returned international visitor, I am able to channel my experiences into passion for incoming international guests.

My international travel has been primarily limited to South America. I spent a semester studying in Chile, Argentina, and Peru with Butler University. My traveling to South America only fueled my passion for the international and inspired me to pursue other opportunities to study abroad. This spring, I will be traveling to Thailand to study for 7 months where I hope to expand my worldview and obtain my Asian concentration for my International Studies degree. In the meantime, I look forward to all of the potential international experiences The International Center has to offer this semester!

Jimmy Hennes - Project Manager China Intern

Jimmy in Poland

Hello, I am Jimmy Hennes, and I am from Northwest Indiana. I went to Indiana University-Bloomington (IUB) as an undergrad. There I studied Chinese, Anthropology, and Religious Studies. After I graduated in 2009, I spent 3 years abroad. I lived in South Korea for 1 year teaching English, and 2 years in Taiwan studying Chinese and working. In 2013, I returned to the Hoosier state to get a Masters at the School of Public and Environmental Affairs at IUB. I am now studying Public Finance and Social Entrepreneurship. I also just recently got back from another internship doing economic research in Germany.

I am excited to work at the International Center because it allows me to combine all my past skills into one job. It’s not every work place where I need to draw on my cultural-anthropology background, business background, and Chinese language skills on a daily basis.

Carla Natividad – Marketing and Communications Intern

Carla in Denmark

Hello, I’m Carla! I was born and raised in Manila, Philippines. In 2006, my parents decided to move to Indianapolis. I had never heard of Indiana prior to that time of my life; however, I am glad to say that I have become accustomed to the Midwestern way of life that has welcomed me and my family.

This past May, I graduated from Indiana University - Bloomington with a degree in International Studies and a minor in Business. I was fortunate to have acquired various global experiences during my time at IU. I volunteered and helped implement sustainable water and health infrastructures in under-resourced communities in Ghana and Honduras. I spent a summer in Denmark where I interacted with refugee children in Copenhagen and gained insight about global children’s rights. Also, I participated in an Istanbul study tour where I learned about multiculturalism and its influence on education. These experiences were very humbling and had fueled my desire to keep exploring and keep learning more about the world we live in. When I am not out and about, I love to cook and eat. I love making dishes inspired by my travels!

I am delighted to be this fall’s Marketing and Communications intern. This opportunity enables me not only to gain experience in a professional environment, but also to participate in a global atmosphere right here in Indiana. I am very excited about the work I get to do, the lessons I get to learn, and the people I get to meet. Indianapolis has become my home and it is an honor to play a role in making this city as welcoming as it can be.



Tara Palmer – Floater Intern

Tara in Morocco

I am from Zionsville, Indiana, a small town right outside of Indianapolis. I just graduated from Indiana University-Bloomington in May with majors in Spanish and Communication & Culture and a minor in Human Resources. I got the chance to study in Seville, Spain for a semester of my junior year. It was a wonderful experience to work on my language skills, and the traveling around Europe on weekends didn’t hurt! I became interested in other cultures through family friends that moved into town when I was in elementary school. Mrs. Fonseca began teaching Spanish classes before school, and so began my fascination with the Hispanic culture, which then evolved into others around the world. Aside from that, I love to stay busy. I enjoy spending my free time reading, exercising, and being outside.

Since graduating, I have been exploring my options to see what the future holds for me. I am excited for this internship as an example of international work available right here in Indiana. I am the Floater Intern, which means I will get the opportunity to experience every department of The International Center. I am looking forward to getting to see all aspects of the organization and getting to work with everyone!

Austin Reno – Programs and Services Intern

Austin in Brazil

Hello everybody! First of all, what an incredible opportunity to be here at The International Center and have this opportunity to build upon my international experience and to bring an added dimension to help this organization prosper. Moreover, I feel incredibly fortunate to have been selected for such a successful, influential, and important organization to begin my professional career.
With this being said, I am from Franklin, Indiana, about 30 minutes south of Indianapolis. I attend Marian University where I am a senior majoring in Political Science and minoring in Global Studies.

Here at The International Center, I am the Programs and Services Intern working with Martin Baier, which has been an absolute pleasure!
My international travel addiction first began in 2012 when I traveled to Sao Paulo, Brazil for tourism. From that experience, I knew that was where I needed to be, so I decided to study abroad for the 2014 spring semester, again in Sao Paulo. There, I studied International Relations and Portuguese. As far as my personal interests, I am extremely passionate about traveling and immersing myself in cultural situations that help me grow. I also do CrossFit which is now my sport! I played two years of college baseball at Marian University, but ultimately decided that traveling was my true love. Lastly, I received my pilots’ license in November 2012. Unfortunately, I can’t spend as much time in the air as I would like, but thoroughly enjoy it nonetheless.

I have already seen a positive influence that The International Center, its staff, and interns has had on me and couldn’t be more excited to continue this fall with all of you!

Loren Rogers – Global Competency Intern

Loren in Germany

This is Loren Rogers and I am an intern in the Global Competency department. I wanted to apply for this intern position because I have never had any international experience in an office/professional setting. I have traveled abroad many times and have been to a lot of places in Europe, mainly Germany because that is my main area of study. I attend IUPUI as a fifth year student. I plan on graduating next spring.

I really enjoy doing research and learning how to connect people around the world by understanding the different dimensions of other international cultures. I help plan trainings to give insight on how to communicate, share, and understand one another through different assumed bias positions, and try to educate people on historical, cultural, and economic ways of thinking in international corporations. I spend a lot of time researching, working, and studying. When I have free time I enjoy listening and finding new music, catching up with friends and family, and singing/song writing.

Steven Szydlo – Relocation Services Intern

Steven in Mexico

Hey I'm Steve, nice to meet you. I'm originally from a quaint little town in Illinois called Chicago: land of the deep-dish and overly-accentuated vowels. Somehow I wound up here in Indianapolis, attending the Kelley School of Business at IUPUI, working as a shift manager at five McDonald's restaurants, and interning at The International Center (thank you Jeff and Peter for deciding that I DO have the pizzazz and gusto that you so desired in an intern). Consequently, I believe things happen for a reason. I am truly blessed and forever grateful for my life's past and current circumstances.

So, I'm half-Mexican and half-Polish. A "Polexican" or "Molac" if you will. This has enabled me to view and perceive the world from two very different, however very similar cultures, perspectives, and backgrounds beginning at an early age. I learned to embrace diversity and caught a passion to help and be of service to others. As I grow older, I further appreciate the values and customs of other cultures from around the world. Furthermore, interning at The International Center has sparked an insatiable interest to learn more about the world and the people in it. I have been fortunate enough to travel to Mexico on two separate occasions.

I can go on and on, but I think that's enough for now. I will leave you with a quote from Helen Walton that has made an impression on me: "It's not what you gather but what you scatter that tells you what kind of life you have lived."