Teresa Covarrubias, a participant in the Fall 2024 WE+YOU Student Immersion Experience, unreservedly offers this advice to others who might be thinking about attending an event in the future: “Do it! Do it! Take advantage of the opportunity. Sign up, be open-minded, and go.”

The Student Immersion Experience is designed to give students a taste of the area’s growing STEM sector and highlights the unique attributes of living and working in the South Bend – Elkhart region of northern Indiana and southwest Michigan.

Enrolled in an 11-month master’s program at the University of Notre Dame, Covarrubias will graduate in May with a Master’s in Engineering Science and Technology Entrepreneurship. Her objective is to apply technology in areas where it is not currently being used, such as automating the data collection process in project and process management. While completing her degree, she works part time at iNDustry Labs.

Her boss and mentor, Maria, is an enthusiastic supporter of the South Bend area. So Covarrubias was already thinking about staying in the region when she learned about the opportunity to participate in the Student Immersion Experience by way of a weekly newsletter provided by her Notre Dame program coordinator.

She expected the event to provide an opportunity to meet and network with professionals and learn more about the region and potential employers.

In fact, the event far exceeded anything that Covarrubias had imagined it could be. The warm hospitality and attention to detail made her feel welcomed, nurtured, and valued. “It was extremely well-crafted and engaging,” she says. “It was clear that tremendous effort went into creating an event that was both fun and rewarding for participants.”

Relationships are often fostered around the table, and the Student Immersion Experience is no different. One of the most outstanding aspects of the weekend, says Covarrubias, was the quality of the food. “Breakfast at Four Winds Field, coffee in Mishawaka, and lunch at Jesus Latin Grill all contributed to making us feel important.”

Covarrubias found it eye-opening to discover the diversity of employers in the area. The tour of Barletta Boats in Elkhart was one the aspects she found most interesting and valuable, along with the regional company showcase.

The effort employers put into their showcase presentations impressed Covarrubias, and she appreciated their investment in the students. Before attending the immersion experience, Covarrubias was relatively unaware of opportunities in healthcare in her field, but Beacon Health System’s presentation, given by Pam Morrison, Workforce Development Program Manager, and Blake Mattucci, Outreach and Business Development Coordinator, changed that.

She applauded the Beacon team’s effort in conducting a study to better understand the values and priorities of the current generation as one more example of the effort that went into making the immersion experience a success.

Covarrubias is enthusiastic about the benefit of participating in the immersion experience and encourages others to take advantage of any chance to learn more about the region and local career possibilities. She also praises Michael McHugh for his amazing organization, kindness, and patience throughout the student immersion event and recognizes the effort that went into crafting an event that the participants would be sure to enjoy.

Unlike many of the other participants, Covarrubias had completed her undergraduate degree in 2022 and worked for two years before coming to Notre Dame. While others were seeking summer internships, she was interested in opportunities for full-time employment. Worthwhile conversations resulted from connections she made and “some things are currently in the works.”

The immersion experience confirmed Covarrubias’s thinking and strengthened her desire to stay in the region after graduation although her family lives in California. Initially her family wondered why she would choose to attend a university in Indiana. “No one’s there,” they said. But now she’s encouraging them to come and learn about the opportunities here.

As someone who has lived or worked in many areas, from Mexico to Germany to the U.S., Covarrubias says she has never been in an area with such a strong emphasis on making the area better, stronger, and more attractive.

The Student Immersion Experience is an engaging event that’s not to be missed. “It’s a very nice showcase–an immersion into what the South Bend / Mishawaka / Elkhart region has to offer.”