In the summer of 2023, the Civic Innovation Lab (CIL) welcomed 49 interns, with 34 working in South Bend and 15 through the Elkhart Catalyst program at Pierre Moran Middle School. Together, the interns worked on 12 projects addressing issues such as food security, neighborhood development, and sustainable resource use.
Elkhart Recap
Church Community Services
Interns partnered with Church Community Services to design a Food Preference Survey based on people’s interest in fruits, vegetables, and herbs to better inform the selection of produce cultivated in community gardens. The team also collaborated with a group of medical students who contributed to the database and assisted with survey design. The results of the project will help Seed to Feed and the Food Pantry grow as a community.
Historical Inventory
The City of Elkhart (CoEI) and the Elkhart Education Foundation (EEF) partnered together to incorporate a project that documents the rich historical and cultural heritage of the city. Interns received mentorship from the City of Elkhart’s Development Services to establish a set of guidelines for the classification of historic assets. Throughout the summer, interns worked in Central Elkhart to identify historical buildings to integrate them onto a layer in ArcGIS, a geospatial software used to analyze geographic data.
THOR Industries
CIL interns at THOR Industries and Elkhart Catalyst collaborated to create a sustainability roadmap for the interior of the Sonic 231 VRL trailer. Guided by their mentors, the interns designed a sustainability package that included eco-friendly alternatives for interior elements such as flooring, cabinets, cushions, and upholstery. CIL and THOR plan to continue this partnership by co-designing industry projects mentored by THOR.
Tolson Center
The Tolson Center for Community Excellence partnered with Elkhart Catalyst Interns to create a robust volunteer program to aid in day-to-day operations and special events at the new facility. The interns met with a variety of community volunteer leaders, and with their input, designed a volunteer application, compiled relevant training in a learning management system, and formulated a plan to recognize and retain volunteers.
