The Jane Jorgensen Internship Program, established through a generous endowed gift from Jane and Jay Jorgensen, offers IU students the opportunity to grow as exceptional leaders prepared to shape society and stand out as top candidates for professional university roles. Students collaborate with faculty and staff through the program to develop meaningful projects and build lasting professional relationships.
Launched in the 2021–2022 academic year, the internship was created to empower students to take action and drive lasting social change on campus. Since its inception, twelve students have been selected as Jane Jorgensen interns.
Nathay Duque is a senior at IU East majoring in Sociology and Spanish. She was selected as a Jane Jorgensen intern for the 2024–2025 academic year where she worked for the Office of the Chancellor.
Duque's work began after meetings with the Office of the Chancellor where she discussed issues she wanted to address on campus. Her focus surrounded English language learners (ELLs) and their issues accessing higher education. After selecting a research topic, her position as a Jane Jorgensen intern was finalized.
Past Jane Jorgensen interns have worked with many IU institutions such as the Irsay Institute, the IU School of Medicine and the Office of the Provost.
“The great thing about this internship is that they give the intern a lot of space to learn [and] figure out what they want to do with their projects,” Duque said. “It’s a project that you customize based on what you want the outcome to be.”
Her main objective as a Jane Jorgensen intern was to assist in creating a liaison program that would connect IU East with Richmond High School and its students. The goal of this program was to expose ELL and immigrant students to opportunities in higher education. To do this, Duque conducted research to understand the main barriers between these students and applying to college.
To conduct her research, Duque created surveys to gauge the needs of ELL students, interviewed faculty to understand gaps in higher education and conducted independent research to determine what solutions could assist in eliminating these gaps.
A part of her duties included creating a brochure that provided students with resources regarding higher education. “It would walk students through the admissions process, financial aid, legal guidance and other community resources they have,” Duque said.
“This internship provided an excellent opportunity to support a student’s interests and development, IU East’s commitment to fostering an inclusive campus environment and our desire to be more engaged in the Richmond community,” said Yemi Mahoney, the chief of staff and interim dean of students at IU East. Mahoney served as Duque’s supervisor during the internship.
Through her research, Duque wanted to provide applicable techniques to address a complex problem in higher education, often asking herself, “How can I make sure I portray these issues and turn them into an actual solution?”
“What does it feel like to have a seat at the table, to have these issues be heard and be taken seriously?” she asked.
As a result of investigating complex issues within the admissions process, Duque often needed the help of multiple IU entities to answer her questions. “I was surprised at how difficult it was to find certain answers, but also how committed people were to finding the answers for me even when they didn’t know them,” she explained. “They made it a priority to make sure I felt heard and that these issues were important.”
"Working with Nathay has been inspiring and affirming,” said Mahoney. “What stood out most was her ability to take her personal journey—from navigating a new culture and language as an immigrant—to build systems that now support other students going through similar challenges.”
When asked for advice she would give to students seeking internships, Duque stressed the importance of seeking an internship that addresses issues one finds important. “Pick something that you’re passionate about,” she explained. “Not just an issue that you think can be easily fixed, but something that speaks volumes to you and your community.”
She also recommends reaching out to mentors and staff regarding the issues one wants to address. “Put yourself out there, because there will always be someone who can give you an answer," Duque said. “You just have to look.”
Students who are eligible for the Jane Jorgensen internship can apply here. Applications for the next academic year are open until May 31, 2025.