From a young age, Kurtis Oldiges dreamed of making a difference in the world.
At the time, he could only pretend by dressing up as a solider—which he did four Halloweens straight. The current IUPUI Honors Scholar is not only a soldier, but an intern, volunteer, and mentor.
“I love
The Chancellor’s Scholarship recipient and Kelley School of Business student just entered his junior year and has two internships on his résumé. Oldiges interned at the Indiana State House, where he kept in contact with constituents for three representatives. One of his favorite parts of the internship included sitting in on meetings, where he saw how bills are formed and halted.
“Hands-on experience makes all the difference,” he says.
After completing 14 weeks of basic and additional military training last summer, Private First Class Oldiges sees that the military and business have many skills in common. The major similarity is the importance of leadership.
Hands-on experience makes all the difference.
He credits IUPUI for providing students with the opportunity to gain “real-life” experiences.
“This is the heart of Indiana,” he says. “I was able to work at the Indiana Statehouse and take a full course load because the statehouse is only a ten-minute walk from campus.”
Oldiges’ passion for new opportunities led him to become an Honors College Peer Mentor. He says the Mentor Program helped him develop skills to help people one-on-one with problem-solving, something he says he uses in military procedures as well as in classes and everyday situations.
Oldiges encourages students to reach out, network, and take advantage of the urban environment and connections the university has to offer.
“The Honors College is my home on campus, and the place where I go to see my friends from all different majors,” he says. “And as cheesy as it sounds, the Honors College is a place that makes you feel like you belong.”