Reiman Spring 2000 Interns

Four ISU students have been selected as interns in the spring 2000 Reiman Scholars in Entrepreneurship Program. The student interns are: Daniel Beenken, double majore in Finance and Management; Hiroshi Inoue, with Masters in both Business and Engineering; Adam Curtis, majoring in Computer Engineering; and Ben Kellen, majoring in Management in Entrepreneurship and minoring in Finance.

This unique internship program is designed for students who have a strong and demonstrated interest in entrepreneurship and working in an entrepreneurial environment.

Interns spend time at different sites, all of which focus on start-up companies. Students receive training and experience by working at the ISU Pappajohn Center, the ISU Center for Advanced Technology Development(CATD). Growth Ventures Group (marketing and sales organization in Des Moines), and by working in an actual start-up company.

The internship program is a mutually beneficial program for companies and students. Start-up companies, typically lacking in resources, receive quality assistance from interns who also have access to a multitude of resources through the Pappajohn Center. Interns receive hands-on experience in an entrepreneurial firm. Interns are put into a situation in which they may be challenged to perform research for a company, create databases, contact potential clients, program computers, write business plans, or make business decisions. The program emphasizes an entrepreneurship experience, thus students are exposed to all aspects of the business, regardless of their major field of study.

The interns are all working 20 hours per week helping real start-up companies. All four students have an interest in starting their own compnanies someday, and this program will give them practical experience in an entrepreneurial environment.

Ben Kellen will be graduating in May with a Bachelor of Science in Management in Entrepreneurship. He is applying what he has learned in the classroom to this intership experience. "With CATD I helped develop a survey and called clients to find out if they were satisfied with their service. And at NovaScan, the start-up company I am working for, I am currently doing market research for them to test the popularity, usefulness, business growth expectancy and financial data of the product to form a business plan,"said Kellen. "This has been a great experience so far, and I like the fact that I am helping these organzitions pursue real opportunities."

Adam Curtis, junior in Computer Engineering, brings a different perspective to work as the only non-business major in the group. "I feel that my experience may be even more valuable from being on the outside of business," said Curtis. "After learning more about how a start-up company works, I have interests in starting my own technical business someday."

Funding for the Reiman Scholars Internship Program was made possible through a gift from Roy Reiman, ISU alum, and his wife, Bobbi. Interns are recruited through the Pappajohn Center efforts in conjunction with ISU College placement/internship offices. The positions are available for students currently enrolled as a full time junior, senior, or graduate student in any major at ISU. The Reiman Scholars are paid for their service, must complete a specified amount of service hours and will have to prepare a written report and give an oral presentation outlining the lessons learned and experiences gained during the internship experience. The selection process for applicants for the Summer 2000 program is currently in progress. This is the fourth year the Pappajohn Center has offered internships to entrepreneurally-minded students.