The University of Illinois Research Park held an open house attended by approximately 100 students Thursday. The event included an introductory presentation, a tour of participating businesses and a networking reception.
UI Research Park encompasses a dozen buildings with more in construction. Fox/Atkins Development is the private partner that builds and leases most of the buildings.
In December 2011, UI Research Park received the Outstanding Research Park award from the Association of University Research Parks.
Laura Bleill, marketing coordinator for Research Park, said the purpose of the open house was to make students aware of the park’s offerings — which include internships and support for campus entrepreneurs — and to “demystify what the Research Park is.” Bleill hoped students would have the chance to become better acquainted with research park businesses and their offerings.
After promotional videos and an introductory presentation by Research Park Director Laura Frerichs, students broke up into tour groups based on subjects of interest. They were taken around to the corresponding research park companies by staff.
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The park is home to approximately 90 companies and 1,400 employees. Bleill said the park has around 400 student interns at any time throughout the year. These internships are usually paid, and students tend to work around 10 to 20 hours during the school year and full-time in the summer.
Employers spoke about internship opportunities, and student interns shared their experiences with attendees.
“We teach our actuarial interns real live work,” said Scott Farris, research and development manager at State Farm’s offices in the park.
He added that six of the 25 interns last year were hired for full-time, permanent jobs with the company.
Alex Kessler, senior in LAS, interns with State Farm in the park and earned a job at the company’s home office in Bloomington, Ill.
“(It’s) a really great experience,” Kessler said. “I grew a lot. It really prepared me for my job with State Farm as an actuary-in-training.”
Tianying Jiang, graduate student, was glad to have attended the event.
“I’m very satisfied with this event,” Jiang said. “(It was) a good opportunity to learn about research and start-ups.”
Frerichs said tenants are enthusiastic about selecting Illinois students as interns and working with faculty.
“One of the reasons the companies have chosen to locate here is to tap into the great minds of the University,” Frerichs said.
The “diversity” and individual “personality” of companies are other assets of the park, Frerichs added.
Ilya can be reached at [email protected].
