Impact of Our Region: Interns Take on Local Adventure

The South Bend-Elkhart region has a host of offerings for entertainment, food, and outdoor fun. Unique opportunities during the enFocus internship include a walking tour through downtown South Bend, IN and scavenger hunts in Elkhart, IN and Niles, MI. The time our interns spend in the region afford them the opportunity to learn about the history and spirit of our local communities. Our interns describe their excitement and experiences as they reach the half-way point of their internship.

Intern Michelle Leon-Cigarroa shared her experience as a Notre Dame student joining enFocus in South Bend throughout the summer.

She expresses, “Although I have called South Bend home for the past three years while attending the University of Notre Dame, I have recently enjoyed exploring what South Bend and Niles have to offer more thoroughly. In every small business, shop, or restaurant I visit, there are friendly faces eager to have a conversation and share their background, something not common in bigger cities.”

Michelle (far right) pictured in a Niles antique store with interns Penny Shi (far left) and Ashley Less (middle).

Michelle had fun exploring antique shops and looks forward to continuing exploring recommendations of hidden gems throughout the region.

Ryan Singh, a Student at Miami University, Ohio, elaborates on his experience during the Niles scavenger Hunt. He shares, “Niles is the perfect definition of a small American town. They had really cool mom-and-pop businesses there. My favorite store we discovered was called Veni’s Sweet Shop, which was a one-hundred year old store! All the candy is still crafted using the original boilers and utensils, preserving the authentic taste and tradition.”

Pictured are interns exploring Veni's sweet shop in Niles.

Like Michelle and Ryan, Mihir Jain also enjoyed how quaint the surrounding region is. He says, “The South Bend-Elkhart region and Southwest Michigan region are both really calm and idyllic places to be. Their own subtle vibe and charm pushes me to explore both places. In Southwest Michigan I enjoyed visiting sweet shops, where I got to know the history of their business, and also explored an antique mall, both unique to the region.”

Mihir is pictured exploring downtown Niles.

The adventures of our region don’t stop here. The interns also explored downtown Elkhart and went rafting down the East Race in South Bend. Many of our interns look forward to future adventures around the region as they finish out the second half of their internship experience.

Ellen Tomlins expresses her excitement for regional exploration saying, “I really enjoyed our visit to Niles! We explored a local secondhand bookshop and enjoyed some wonderful afternoon tea. I’m excited to continue visiting the enFocus offices throughout Northern Indiana and Southwest Michigan areas in the upcoming weeks to see the many different communities served by our work!”

Ellen (right) is pictured with Prisha (left) at Apothecia Teas.

At enFocus, we seek to engage interns with local businesses, introduce them to new regional experiences, and create a deeper connection to the community so they can better understand the impact they have. We look forward to our commitment to the region and support its impactful history and entrepreneurial spirit.

Learn more about our Interns and how they are forming connections around the region by following us on Facebook and Instagram!