The afternoon featured fourteen IU Indianapolis co-op students presenting semester-long projects developed during their time at Lilly. Representing work across five functions within Lilly’s organization, including areas such as finance, marketing, human resources, and information technology, the posters highlighted not only technical skills but also the confidence and professionalism students are building as emerging contributors to Indiana’s workforce.
Michael Keibler, executive director of employer relations in the IU Indianapolis Office of Workforce and Community Engagement, reflected on the significance of the event through the lens of experiential learning:
“We do not learn from experience… we learn from reflecting on experience.” — John Dewey, philosopher of experiential learning “To me, this is exactly what Dewey was talking about in action. What we’re seeing reinforces a core principle of experiential learning: it’s not just the experience that drives their learning, but reflection on their experience as we see in their poster presentations. Our students are actively integrating co-op insights into their academic and professional development,” said Michael Keibler.
That spirit of reflection was evident throughout the mezzanine as students engaged attendees, answered questions, and shared the stories behind their work. The event also welcomed prospective students interested in joining future co-op cohorts, offering a firsthand look at what participation in the program can lead to.
Learning that goes beyond the classroom
“When we launched this partnership with Lilly, our goal was to create a bridge between theory and practice,” said Josh Killey, executive director of program strategy and academic planning at the Kelley School of Business in Indianapolis. “Looking at where these students started on day one versus where they are now, the growth is undeniable. This early exposure to different disciplines gave them a ‘big picture’ view of how a company like Lilly actually operates. By the time they reached their final presentations, they were more confident, career-ready professionals.”
For many students, the co-op experience represents a turning point where theory meets application and confidence begins to take shape.
“I came in as a student, and I leave as someone who genuinely feels ready to contribute to the industry.” — Jakob Paulson, sophomore, Kelley School of Business in Indianapolis
Paulson described his experience working within a large enterprise engineering team as transformative. From writing unit tests across a multi-service codebase to developing an onboarding application for future employees, he gained exposure to the complexity and scale of real-world systems.
“The project especially reminded me that understanding something deeply enough to teach it is its own kind of mastery,” he shared. “Beyond the technical growth, this co-op sharpened my ability to communicate across teams, ask the right questions, and approach ambiguous problems with confidence.”
For Kendall Troy, also a sophomore at the Luddy School of Informatics, Computing and Engineering in Indianapolis, the experience pushed her beyond her comfort zone in unexpected ways.
“The Lilly Co-Op experience was enriching in both my professional and personal life,” she said. “While my project to develop an application wasn’t directly aligned with my studies in data science, it challenged me to use my resources and take advantage of many tools, particularly AI, to solve problems.”
Through that process, Troy said she developed a stronger sense of independence and resilience. “I learned that anything can be solved with extensive research and discipline. I have developed a new sense of confidence in myself to complete the goals I set out to achieve, despite any challenges or limitations I face.”
A partnership driving workforce pathways
The Lilly co-op program is part of a broader partnership between Indiana University Indianapolis and Eli Lilly and Company, designed to strengthen Indiana’s talent pipeline and expand access to meaningful, paid, real-world work experience while also providing potential career pathways at Lilly.
Launched in 2024, the program connects IU Indianapolis students from the Kelley School of Business and the Luddy School of Informatics, Computing and Engineering with opportunities across Lilly’s operations. Students participate in a sophomore spring semester model, working part-time while completing their degrees and building not just experience, but momentum toward long-term careers.
“From day one, these students were not here to merely shadow or observe, they were here to contribute,” said T. Connor Hoffman, senior associate campus recruiter at Eli Lilly and Company. “Each student took on real work, supported real teams, and made a meaningful impact on the organization over the course of the semester.”
The program is further strengthened by partnerships with the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership, the 16 Tech Innovation District, and IU Indianapolis leadership.
Looking ahead
The inaugural poster presentation marked more than the end of a semester. It signaled what’s possible when higher education and industry come together around shared goals.
“Presenting their work in front of Lilly leaders, hiring managers, and IU Indianapolis faculty and leadership, these students demonstrated exactly the kind of talent, dedication, and professionalism that makes this partnership between Lilly and IU Indianapolis so impactful,” said Hoffman.
As IU Indianapolis continues to expand co-op opportunities, events like this offer a clear window into the impact: students who are not only gaining experience, but also learning to reflect on it, articulate it, and apply it in meaningful ways.
With future cohorts already on the horizon, the Lilly co-op program continues to build connections between talent, industry, and community—one experience at a time.
Interested in building partnerships that connect students with experiential learning and workforce opportunities? Connect with the IU Indianapolis Office of Workforce and Community Engagement to learn more.
