JLN Year 2:
Engaged Learning
Photo: Newmar Corporation Logo
Purpose
My engaged learning took place at Newmar Corporation, a luxury motorhome company, which is located in Nappanee, Indiana. I was the Human Resource intern where I worked closely with the VP of HR and the business partners. During my time at Newmar, I researched current HR trends and ensured our documents were still current. I also visited the production workers to help them complete their employee experience surveys. Lastly, I helped find ways to make the overall experience inclusive for all employees. I choose this company because many of my family members work in the RV industry and I wanted to learn more about ways I could better their experience from an HR standpoint.
Prior Experience
In having this experience, I was able to see the connection between my future career and the curriculum I am receiving. Having the internship helped me learn about companies and how they operate. I was able to pick up on the things that I would want in my future workplace as well as what I wouldn’t want. Without this experience, I would be graduating with nothing to base my standards on. This had the potential for me to end up working within a field or a company that I wouldn’t like. My internship prepared me for the real world, along with giving me the thirst for another experience. Here I was apart of the Women’s Inclusion Network where we provided an opportunity for women to drive an RV since most of the women employed in these factories have never been granted the opportunity to do so. During these events, we shed light on the differences women and men go through in the workplace. This was important because we typically talk about about race when it comes to diversity, but here I experienced a disconnect with women in the workplace.
Photo: Womens Inclusion Network "Drive an RV" event.
Photo: 2023 CommunityGO Toy Drive
Community Connections
My engaged learning experience was very good in allowing me to work with different communities. In Nappanee, IN, the Amish population is prominent, so I learned about their culture and worked with them. In doing this, learned about their life outside of work and saw how it contributed to some problems at work. For example, the Amish doesn’t use the internet or cellular devices so sending mass communications as HR to the plant was always an issue. We had to find ways to communicate with as many people as possible without anything online. As far as my own attitude, it just reaffirmed the idea that we are all different and that by learning more about another person’s differences can make the world a better place.This CommunityGo event was a fundraising event where we raised money for ToysForTots in the local Nappanee Community. I was tasked with brainstorming ways to get the community involved , as well as the overall setup of the event. Because a large population of the community is amish, I couldn't just post on social media. I was tasked with printing flyers and posting them around the community. This fundraiser allowed me to see a soft side of the business industry. We are know for being money hungry and business oriented, but at some point during the day, people left their work behind to support a better cause.
Photo: Zaniah Nolen after driving a 2023 Ventana RV
New Skills
Here I learned to be excited to try new things. I was afraid to drive the RV because it was my first week at the company and I didn't want to make a mistake. After being convinced to drive it, I was very proud of myself for taking the rare opportunity. This taught me to jump at the sound of a new opportunities in my work or School life. I know that its okay to be nervous but not okay to forfeit opportunities. Applying this to something outside of driving a huge RV, I learned to take as much as I can from the experience of others. The interns participated in weekly online lunches with someone that would share tips and experiences that they have faced in the business world. I took notes of the tips and the negative experiences so that I would be able to better prepare myself for the real world.
Impact
This engaged learning experience opportunity allowed me to understand how diversity in the workplace can mean many different things. I feel that during my time at Newmar, I learned may things about the amish community, as well as the perspective of women in a male dominated field. I believe that I left impact on the women in the company by allowing them to be heard during Newmar's listening session. By allowing them to speak up on some of their struggles, the men also learned how they can be an ally to support women. This taught me that no matter how comfortable people may seem in the workplace, if you give them the opportunity, they'll tell you what bothers them. The community at Newmar also made me realize that just because i'm able to do something with ease, others may not be able to with ease. I have always tried to be accommodating with things that seem hard to me, but I realized that something simple to me can be difficult to others.
Photo: Newmar Team after 1st listening session
Career Connections
This Intenship allowed me to connect with other interns on a work and personal level. We collaborated on tasks and learned more about each other during the process. because of this, I have started building my LinkedIn community with people of similar career interests and of future employers. I will now try to keep in contact with the interns as well as my supervisors. I seen how many people connect through LinkedIn and want to keep my page active and post my accomplishments and findings. As an HR major, I feel that it connects to my future career because no matter the industry, networking will always be important for my job. I seen people connect in the workplace based on a LinkedIn post made by another member and it seemed to build relationships.
Photo: Left Supply Chain Intern Bella Diener, Right Human Resource Intern Zaniah Nolen
Photo: CommunityGo planted tree to enhance the environment.
Summary
Overall, my engaged learning experience is something that I greatly appreciate. I feel that I have grown as an individual and gained confidence for the future. At times, I get really anxious to try new things, so completing my first internship makes me proud. Newmar allowed me to connect my learning experience to an actual job which makes me happier to learn while in school. Also, with my experience, I learned that I do like the manufacturing sector of human resources. In the future, I do want to experience another sector of human resources through another internship before I commit to a career in manufacturing. Lastly, pictured is a tree that I helped plant on the CommunityGo committee. To some it may just be a tree, but to me it symbolizes an opportunity for growth. There were few trees in the area, and as a committee we decided that for the future we wanted more trees. Instead of waiting around for others, we just planted the tree. In my life, I will remember this tree when I want more in life. I wont wait for an opportunity to be handed to me, I will plant my own tree.