Six students from Northwest and North Central Indiana completed TechPoint's 2026 Xtern program.
They spent the summer working at Indiana companies on real projects.
“Every day, we hear conversations about how technology is changing the future of work,” said Eric Christopher, president and CEO of TechPoint, in a press release. “Our Xtern program reminds us that the future is powered by people.”
This year's class of 62 students from 32 counties worked with 20 Indiana employers. Xternships included fields such as engineering, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, data science, product management and marketing.
“These students spent the summer solving problems, collaborating with teammates and applying their creativity and technical skills to meaningful work,” Christopher said. “They are exactly the kind of talent Indiana employers need to compete and grow.”
Patrick Green of South Bend earned the Inclusion Award for his work on a dashboard template at Sallie Mae. His nomination included his use of “colorblind-friendly design, readability standards and visual perception principles to help more people engage effectively with information.”
XTern Kendall Troy of La Porte spent the summer at Elements Financial. The program made it possible for her to work at the Indianapolis company by providing housing and other support that ultimately led to her decision to switch from marketing to data science.
The Region participants included:
- Patrick Green, South Bend, Indiana University Bloomington: Sallie Mae
- Cameron Lancaster, Granger, Indiana University Bloomington: Sallie Mae
- Madelyn Zavada, Granger, Purdue University West Lafayette: Indesign
- Navneet Kaur, Granger, Indiana University Indianapolis: Boardable
- Kendall Troy, La Porte, Indiana University Indianapolis: Elements Financial
- Marissa Pastore, St. John, Purdue University West Lafayette Indiana: Harvati Risk
“One of the most rewarding parts of Xtern is seeing students recognize the opportunities available to them right here in Indiana,” said Taylor Dooley, director of talent programs at TechPoint. “They leave with new skills, new professional relationships and the confidence to build their careers right here in Indiana.”
Xtern participants presented their work during Community Connect, a TechPoint event that featured conversations with employers, higher education leaders and emerging talent.
TechPoint, an initiative of the CEOs of Indiana Corporate Partnership, works with public and private partners to strengthen the talent pipeline in Indiana. Learn more about the Xtern program here.
