DSM Intern Connection Provides “Once in a Lifetime” Opportunities
At the conclusion of the Greater Des Moines Partnership’s “Summer of Talent,” the Ruan Center bustled with the excited footsteps of over 120 interns awaiting finale of the DSM Intern Connection Series. What began as a typical Tuesday in July quickly became an afternoon of fresh relationships and new perspectives for the series graduates. Across four sessions and an Executive Luncheon, the DSM Intern Connection offered valuable insights and connections for future professionals of the Greater Des Moines region.
I was fortunate enough to be one of the more than 560 interns to participate in this series, having the chance to network with and learn from both interns and established professionals. Over the course of the experience, I gained a notebook full of wisdom from top leaders and contacts of fellow interns I may soon encounter in the workforce.
Knowledge From Across the Skywalk
Over the course of the four sessions, interns engaged with renowned keynotes from a variety of industries and backgrounds. Some focused on the skills and knowledge that would make young professionals desirable for employers. Others utilized storytelling to describe career pathing, inspire self-confidence and ease the anxieties surrounding the transition from intern to young professional.
As Dylan Topic, an American Equity Insurance intern, shared, the keynotes’ often-nonlinear career stories of “how they grew up and progressed as professionals,” taught him, “the importance of trying something new and asking more questions.”
Some takeaways provided more reassurance to those anxious about a fast-paced world. Even in an environment with a whirlwind of new names and faces, comfort comes in knowing that “people won’t always remember your name, but they’ll always remember the way you made them feel,” as stated by Bankers Trust intern Jazlynn Paz.
From Nametags to Business Cards
Integrated into each session were plenty of opportunities to connect with the hundreds of peers and professionals from across the region. Many speakers began their careers in the same place – attending intern-specific events, networking and figuring out what might come next. With 137 employers represented, those conversations opened our eyes to the industries, career paths and opportunities available in Greater Des Moines. Abby Wilcox, an American Equity Insurance intern, loved “being able to network with a lot of people who are doing the same kind of thing and getting to hear about their experiences at other companies, which is different than just hearing about what my fellow interns are doing at our company.”
This chance to share and reflect on our experiences as interns gave many a sense of clarity for the next steps of their careers. For Ella Beals from Prairie Meadows, the program helped her step out of her comfort zone. “I was able to meet new people my age, see what they're doing and figure out what I want to do in the future.”
The Executive Summary
The series culminated at the Des Moines Embassy Club, overlooking Downtown Des Moines. Interns who attended three or more sessions received an invitation to join Greater Des Moines’ top executives for lunch and an exclusive networking opportunity.
Tables were filled with regional success stories and aspiring young professionals. As the buzz of connections radiated throughout the room, interns heard firsthand that success doesn’t look the same for everyone.
“Communications with many different people of all different backgrounds will lead you in places that you may not think,” said Destiny Onofre of Farm Bureau Financial Services.
At the conclusion of the DSM Intern Connection series, interns expressed strong confidence their future in Greater Des Moines, with 94% of survey respondents stating that they would accept a return offer from their employer or relocate to the region for a job opportunity.
The more I experience as a rising young professional, the more I realize that those who have found success want the same for you. It’s important to ask for help and find mentors that you aspire to mirror. Opportunities “to meet new people” and “especially to meet executives” are exactly the actions that make DSM Intern Connection a “once in a lifetime thing,” notes Nathan Williams of F&G.
You’re only at this stage of your career once, so why not make the most of every opportunity it brings? Khalid Mohammed, an intern at Trilix, echoed this, saying when eager young professionals put themselves into these vulnerable positions, “it's almost always going to be a positive interaction.”
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