Hello Everyone,
Last week was rather eventful as an intern at Indium Corporation.
On Wednesday, we participated in a volunteering event known as the Utica CITY SWEEP. Every Wednesday, starting about 5 years ago, our mayor spends several hours cleaning Utica in order to be visible in his service to the area. This past week our interning class joined him in this endeavor. Being that the Boilermaker Road Race was this weekend, we went along the course and around the finish line area cleaning any debris that we saw.
I always enjoy volunteering as it gives me a sense of accomplishment that I was able to help. Seeing the expressions of gratitude coming from those that saw us cleaning the streets brought satisfaction; I have volunteered many times before and those expressions are what make it all worthwhile. This experience was especially nice, however, because I have participated in the Boilermaker for the past 6 years and this volunteering only increased my level of involvement in the event. As I ran the course, there was a certain amount of pride that I had become more than just a runner this year.
On Friday, the interning class had our “Bragging Day.” For this event, the interns, supervisors, and upper management met at the Radisson Hotel conference center. Each intern gave a 5-minute speech detailing the work that they have done so far, the work they expect to accomplish next, what they have learned, how they are benefiting from the internship, etc. This was a very positive event. I do not fear public speaking, but, like most people, I do not look forward to it. Any practice I can get is beneficial and this event helped to fortify my speaking skills. It was also very nice to hear from the other interns as they reported about their experience as we do not always get a chance to hear from all of them.
On Sunday, I competed for Team Indium in the annual Boilermaker Road Race. A team of Stephen Landry, Greg Evans, myself, Brad Anderson, and Ross Berntson performed well enough in the race to defend and retain Indium Corporation’s title of Corporate Cup Champions. We had an average time of 1:08:38 and the next closest competitor (ECR International) came in at 1:16:35. This annual event is one of the largest singular events in Utica and it really brings the community together. I compete in it every year (last year I had to sit out, though, due to a knee injury) and being a part of the corporate team made this year’s run even more fun because I had something to compete for beyond just my drive to have a good time.
Until next time,
Sean McKenna