Intern Box Lunch Program connects unlikely pairings to create one helpful bond
2015-11-12
How do you connect two strangers of different ages and occupations with the intention of one learning from the other? It’s easier than you think—just add food to the equation. In September, the Johnson Space Center Internship Office asked current interns, “Would you be interested in having lunch with someone working outside your department?” The answer? A unanimous yes.
With assistance from JSC’s Women Excelling in Life and Leadership Employee Resource Group (ERG), internship coordinators reached out to ERG contacts across the center and selected 20 mentors representing 16 different organizations. These mentors were paired with a subsequent 20 interns, resulting in the pilot Intern Box Lunch Program. Interns and mentors were matched based on personally submitted interests—both work and non-work related. The lunch partners then arranged a time and place to meet during the month of October. Some pairs brought bagged lunches, while others ate in the cafés or at restaurants off-site. Wherever they dined, there was a driving force behind the meet-up: potential networking.
Interns shared their experiences and asked questions about the careers of their lunch buddies, while the mentors provided insight on different branches and opportunities at JSC. Seventy-three percent of the students responded that their lunch mentors had shed light on subjects they had not yet considered but are now interested in exploring. Nearly half even discussed pursuing an internship in the mentor’s organization.
The most impressive feedback, however, was that 100 percent of the interns plan to stay in contact with their lunch mentors for networking purposes, and all were interested in participating in a similar program again.
“Although we had different professional interests, I think [my mentor] will be a valuable resource to provide guidance on being a female in engineering,” intern Stephanie Scharf wrote about her experience. “We also talked about balancing work and life. These are all great things to have a mentor for!”
The learning experience wasn’t just limited to life inside the center’s gates. Shania Sanders, a returning intern, shared that her conversation ventured beyond typical work subjects.
“[My mentor] was open to talk about all kinds of topics, and I really appreciated how she talked about her goals and aspirations as well—and didn't just drill me about my own,” Sanders said.
Because these mentors had never before been involved with NASA Internships, Fellowships and Scholarships, they too left with new knowledge of what JSC internships encompass.
Extoled with positive feedback from students and mentors alike, the Intern Box Lunch Program may continue to be a networking event for many semesters to come, connecting two unlikely professional contacts one lunch at a time. If you are interested in mentoring an intern to advance your project this summer, submit an opportunity at https://intern.nasa.gov/ today.
Leah Cheshier
NASA Johnson Space Center
With assistance from JSC’s Women Excelling in Life and Leadership Employee Resource Group (ERG), internship coordinators reached out to ERG contacts across the center and selected 20 mentors representing 16 different organizations. These mentors were paired with a subsequent 20 interns, resulting in the pilot Intern Box Lunch Program. Interns and mentors were matched based on personally submitted interests—both work and non-work related. The lunch partners then arranged a time and place to meet during the month of October. Some pairs brought bagged lunches, while others ate in the cafés or at restaurants off-site. Wherever they dined, there was a driving force behind the meet-up: potential networking.
Interns shared their experiences and asked questions about the careers of their lunch buddies, while the mentors provided insight on different branches and opportunities at JSC. Seventy-three percent of the students responded that their lunch mentors had shed light on subjects they had not yet considered but are now interested in exploring. Nearly half even discussed pursuing an internship in the mentor’s organization.
The most impressive feedback, however, was that 100 percent of the interns plan to stay in contact with their lunch mentors for networking purposes, and all were interested in participating in a similar program again.
“Although we had different professional interests, I think [my mentor] will be a valuable resource to provide guidance on being a female in engineering,” intern Stephanie Scharf wrote about her experience. “We also talked about balancing work and life. These are all great things to have a mentor for!”
The learning experience wasn’t just limited to life inside the center’s gates. Shania Sanders, a returning intern, shared that her conversation ventured beyond typical work subjects.
“[My mentor] was open to talk about all kinds of topics, and I really appreciated how she talked about her goals and aspirations as well—and didn't just drill me about my own,” Sanders said.
Because these mentors had never before been involved with NASA Internships, Fellowships and Scholarships, they too left with new knowledge of what JSC internships encompass.
Extoled with positive feedback from students and mentors alike, the Intern Box Lunch Program may continue to be a networking event for many semesters to come, connecting two unlikely professional contacts one lunch at a time. If you are interested in mentoring an intern to advance your project this summer, submit an opportunity at https://intern.nasa.gov/ today.
Leah Cheshier
NASA Johnson Space Center
Intern Nicole Schoenstein, right, enjoyed lunch and conversation with mentor Deborah Neubek. Schoenstein and Neubek were paired for the Intern Box Lunch Program and discussed a variety of topics ranging from their respective departments to personal hobbies. Image Credit: NASA