An amazing opportunity is heading to DePauw for all graduating seniors. The Orr Fellowship is excited to engage with DePauw students and offer an experiential learning and post-graduation internship opportunity. 

The program, named after former Indiana Governor Bob Orr, gives students an exciting opportunity to break into the professional world through paid positions with some of Indiana's most dynamic industries. The two-year-long program offers candidates professional mentorship through business leader meetings, group service projects, industry insights, panels, and a network of like-minded individuals.

DePauw alumna Maggie Williams shared her experience as a former Orr Fellow. The English Writing and Sociology major joined the fellowship her first year out of school and describes the program as “life-changing”. The mark the Orr Fellowship left on her inspired her to serve as a board member to make impactful decisions and oversee the crucial operations of the program with the aim to grow its reach. 

She has since started her own family and now resides in Indianapolis with her husband, whom she met through the program. He was a year above her in the program, and she credits that for bringing them together. 

“The program helped me transition from a busy college athlete to the routine of corporate employment,” Williams said. “Socially, it helped me make new friends which can be difficult post-college.”

In addition to its excellent offerings to students during the duration of the program, the Orr Fellowship Alumni network, comprised of over 600 individuals, offers fellows a gateway into a diverse network of professionals. 

Orr Fellows have achieved great success beyond the program, with up to two-thirds finding permanent long-term employment at their matched companies. The program nurtures its alumni by sending frequent newsletters and hosting extravagant annual events for all stakeholders to attend. 

The Orr Fellowship is currently expanding its network by partnering with companies and organizations beyond the Indianapolis community, growing its footprint, and increasing the number of potential partners for incoming Orr Fellows.

Orr eagerly anticipates 70 -100 students per class each year, which it selects through a unique application process. 

The program is interested in recruiting eager and tenacious candidates, often looking for community engagement, ambition and achievement in applications. The Orr fellowship is open to pupils of all backgrounds and areas of study. The application and recruitment process spans from August to November of every year. 

Williams encourages all DePauw students to apply, citing the fellowship as a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity”. 

More information about the program can be found on the official website orrfellowship.org as well as on social media such as LinkedIn and Facebook.