January 13, 2025
INDIANAPOLIS — Michael Pacer, a Trine University senior from Maumee, Ohio, is one
of 74 talented college seniors selected to join Orr Fellowship this year.
Orr Fellowship, one of Indiana’s most celebrated nonprofit talent programs, is a two-year post-graduate program that places high-achieving college seniors from across the Midwest in full-time, paid positions at dynamic companies and organizations in Indianapolis and Evansville.
Fellows are selected for their strong leadership potential, academic achievements and commitment to community impact. They gain hands-on experience with companies in diverse fields, from marketing to engineering, while participating in professional development opportunities, nonprofit consulting projects and leadership training. Through Orr Fellowship, they will also gain access to exclusive opportunities like an expedited pathway into the Kelley Evening MBA program.
More than 1,000 recruited
From August to October, more than 1,000 college seniors from across the Midwest were recruited to apply for the Fellowship. Pacer said he decided to apply after speaking with the recruitment team, which included Trine alumna and Orr Fellow Katie Sloneker.
After initially applying, Pacer was interviewed via videoconference by one of the Orr Fellowship board members. He then was one of 250 applicants invited to a reception in Indianapolis to network and listen to Orr Fellowship officials as well as Allison Barber, former president of the Indiana Fever.
He was invited again to Finalist Day, where he interviewed with five partner companies. He received a call that evening letting him know he had been accepted into the Fellowship and received a job offer.
“I was very relieved to know that all the hard work and grinding through all the rounds of applications had paid off,” he said. “I also was so excited to know that I had a job lined up before the holidays and the new year.”
After graduating from Trine in May, Pacer will begin at MakeMyMove, a company that helps remote workers find communities that match their desired lifestyle. Pacer has had the opportunity to travel to Indianapolis and meet the entire team.
“I really enjoyed the people I was around and really loved the culture of the company,” he said. “I also am excited to help MakeMyMove however I can and learn from all the great members on the team.”
Continuing Trine connection
Since its founding in 2001, Orr Fellowship has retained more than 84% of its alumni in Indiana, strengthening the state’s workforce and business ecosystem.
Dozens of Orr Fellows have gone on to found their own businesses, and most former Fellows have become leaders at successful companies.
Pacer hopes to become part of the Orr Fellowship’s recruiting team and bring more students into the Fellowship.
“I know that Trine has some of the most work-ready and well-structured leaders to offer to the Fellowship, and I look forward to connecting the two,” he said.
About Orr Fellowship
Dedicated to matching exceptional, high-achieving college seniors to full-time, paid jobs at dynamic companies and organizations of all types and sizes in the Indianapolis and Evansville areas since its first cohort in 2002, Orr Fellowship's Fellows receive two years of extensive programming and networking opportunities by night as they devote themselves to their careers by day. Learn more about the Orr Fellowship at orrfellowship.org.
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