Binder #: 38
Major: Business Finance
Passion: Environmental Sustainability
Organization: Ecology Action Center, State Farm
Project Summary: I really enjoyed my time at State Farm and at the Ecology Action Center. Although both proved to be very valuable experiences, State Farm workdays gave me a better idea of what corporate work life was like. My supervisors were very helpful and patient and made sure I was making the most out of my experience. My department was very extensive. I worked with the Building Technology Research (BTR) division of the Strategic Resources department of State Farm. I got to witness many of the tests they do; from a 2×4 cannon that tests siding durability, to an ice-ball shooter that represents hail, to a kitchen fire demonstration. My main project, however, was organizing a department trip to the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. I also worked on several small projects that dealt with with me researching new green technologies. I would produce a report of the various technologies which would then be sent out to the employees in our department. At the EAC, I helped develop a project on small business recycling in the Bloomington-Normal community. My job was to show these small businesses that the option of recycling was a cost-effective, beneficial alternative to traditional trash disposal. Overall, this summer has been a valuable experience because I gained a lot from the people I worked with, contacts I made, and the expectations placed upon me as well as learned a lot about the environment and the community.