BGSU computer science student lands summer internship at Nationwide after attending Kuhlin Hub Career EXPO

Noah Grimmer will work on a technology team at Nationwide in Summer 2024

By Laren Kowalczyk ‘07

Determined to get a computer science internship, Bowling Green State University student Noah Grimmer applied to roughly 50 companies through online applications.

He heard back from less than five of them.

Undeterred, Grimmer continued his pursuit at the recent Kuhlin Hub Career EXPO Week, the University’s largest-ever career event, where he connected with Nationwide Insurance, headquartered in Columbus, Ohio.

During an interview later that week, Grimmer accepted a paid summer internship on a technology team at Nationwide. He’ll receive more specific details as the internship approaches but the role will likely be in web or software development.

“I think being able to talk to the recruiters face-to-face and explain why I was interested in interning there made a big difference,” said Grimmer, majoring in computer science. “I’m incredibly grateful that BGSU and the Kuhlin Career Hub provided an opportunity for me to connect to companies in person.”

The Kuhlin Career Hub is an integral part of the University’s Life Design ecosystem aimed at helping students align their interests with future career opportunities.

The Kuhlin Career Hub’s unique and comprehensive approach to connecting students to its robust network of industry professionals is one of the many examples of the University’s commitment to supporting student success and outcomes and a driving factor in its reputation for excellence as the No. 1 university in Ohio - big or small, public or private - for student experience.

“We develop opportunities for students like Noah to prototype their careers through personal connections to our industry partners. It is at the core of what we do,” said Steve Russell, assistant vice president and executive director of the Kuhlin Career Hub.

In addition to resources like Career EXPO Week, students can engage with career design coaches, who provide resources and support to explore career opportunities purposefully.

Students can also participate in mock interviews and attend a comprehensive range of programs, workshops and courses catered to individual career aspirations.

As a second-year student, Grimmer said he’s thrilled about the opportunity to gain experience at a Fortune 100 company. He enrolled at BGSU in 2022 with more than 50 credits, completed through the College Credit Plus program at Perkins High School, near Sandusky, Ohio, and will graduate a year early in Spring 2025.

“I’ve heard nothing but great things about working at Nationwide, and I think this opportunity has the potential to open a lot of doors for me,” he said.

With BGSU being home to Ohio's first computer science program, Nationwide has actively recruited students from the University for many years because of their broad knowledge and high performance as interns, said Michael Carrel ‘95, a BGSU alumnus and vice president and chief technology officer at Nationwide Financial.

“We look at performance ratings for interns across different universities, and BGSU continues to have one of the highest ratings,” Carrel said. “BGSU students are hard-working, committed to learning and adaptable to our environment.”