PODCAST: Overcoming an Internship ‘Modification’
IIB's Gerry Dick discusses internships with Purdue student Molly Grotjan who is interning with Corteva Agriscience.
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowThe COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted summer internship programs for thousands of Hoosier college students. But that does not mean it has to be any less of an experience to learn and grow.
Zionsville resident Molly Grotjan is studying food and agricultural industries at Purdue University. She has an internship this summer at Corteva Agriscience Inc. (NYSE: CTVA), a global crop protection and seed company.
Grotjan says her internship has been modified due to the pandemic, meaning more online rather than in-office experience. The healthcare crisis has taught her about overcoming adversity.
“Corteva has done a great job about translating what would have been an in-person internship to an online- or virtual internship in the face of COVID-19,” said Grotjan. “In place of meeting people in person, I use Zoom to meet with others within Corteva to learn about parts of the business, like research & development, external affairs and supply chain.”
While the company is headquartered in Delaware, it has a large presence in Indianapolis and serves as the agricultural chemical divisional headquarters for the company. Corteva is also a stakeholder with AgriNovus Indiana.
The Purdue junior is focusing her career in government relations, economic development, and supply chain management.
“When you think about career opportunities, agbiosciences in Indiana is diverse, whether your interest is in communication, or research and development, digital technologies, information technologies.”
The agribusiness major did not grow up on a farm, but she was a 10-year-member of 4-H. She says you do not need to be a “farm kid” to take advantage of Indiana’s agbioscience sector, which offers an abundance of opportunities to young people who are navigating career choices.
“My advice to give students and the peers around me is just to take advantage of the opportunities that are in front of you and to discover what your passions are, whether that’s getting involved with a service organization or pursuing an internship with a company that’s outside of your comfort zone. I would certainly encourage you to do that,” Grotjan said to Inside INdiana Business Host Gerry Dick, who also hosts the Ag+Bio+Science podcast presented by AgriNovus Indiana.
The weekly podcast includes conversations with leaders, innovators, and entrepreneurs in Indiana’s agbioscience sector, discussing the confluence of food, agriculture, science and technology.
Hear more about Grotjan’s experience when the full podcast becomes available Monday morning. Click here for more information on how you can listen.