Addie Pike: Making an IMPACT

Indiana INTERNnet celebrated internship excellence on Feb. 3, 2016, at the 10^th Annual IMPACT Awards luncheon. Though the event is over and the winners have been announced, we are continuing to celebrate the nominees’ successes.

These are their stories.

Addie Pike is a student at Ball State University majoring in Computer Technology with a minor is Business Management. She completed an internship with Ontario Systems when she was a student at Yorktown High School.

Indiana INTERNnet: An internship could be intimidating for a high school student, but it sounds like you jumped right in and welcomed challenges at Ontario Systems. How did you do this?

Addie Pike: My high school actually offered an internship coordination with local businesses. The school day was split into four classes called “blocks,” which are about an hour and a half in length. The first semester of my senior year I left during fourth block to go shadow at Ontario Systems. Ontario Systems had never actually had a high school intern before, so they had me shadow at first. However, as soon as I began shadowing, I also began working. The next semester, I was personally requested by Ontario Systems to return. When I returned, I was offered to be the first high school intern, and I accepted. I am still currently the youngest person working at Ontario Systems.

When I initially started, I had never worked with computers before. I just knew it’s what I wanted to do. The entire time I have been at Ontario Systems I have been learning as I go. All of my coworkers are incredible and they work to teach me what I’m doing. I have worked closely with all of them and they each help me in their own ways.

IIN: What do you enjoy most about working for Ontario Systems?

AP: My favorite part of working at Ontario Systems is the sense of community. Everyone knows everyone and we all work together to achieve our goals. I have been with them for over a year now and I look forward to it every day.

IIN: How did you become interested in computers?

AP: I love working with computers. There always seems to be something new you can find and there are endless possibilities. My dad also works at Ontario Systems. He has been working here for upwards of 15 years, so a lot of my childhood was surrounded by computers. I just started following in his footsteps.

IIN: What are your future plans and goals?

AP: I hope to continue working at Ontario Systems when I graduate. I would also like to go into the Master’s program at Ball State. I hope to eventually become a group manager.