BGSU connects student with career-building experience at Toledo Regional Chamber

Jordan “Rex” Mizerek came to Bowling Green State University with a plan. She would take her long-held interest in working closely with others, establish a foundational skill set through the communications and marketing curriculum and then fine-tune her ultimate career pursuits along the way before eventually pursuing a master’s degree.

A communications course in her early days on campus confirmed that she had found the right major, but she needed a path to fulfill that long-term plan. She would have to test the waters to make certain where she was headed. An internship this summer with the Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce provided that affirmation.

“I’ve always been a very people-oriented person, someone who thrives off of connecting with others and networking with them, so I put myself out there for every internship under the sun,” said the rising junior from Sylvania, Ohio, just outside Toledo. “I feel fortunate to have gained this experience working with the Chamber – doing work that aligns with my passion and confirming that this is really what I want to do in my career.”

Jeff Schaaf, vice president of talent strategy and signature events at the Chamber, said Mizerek was put in a responsible role from the start and that she has responded well to all the challenges presented by the Chamber’s busy summer calendar of events.

“She seems to pick things up really quickly and has been a big help with planning and organizing our events,” Schaaf said. “Jordan’s made an impact, and we look at this as a mutually beneficial thing – anytime we work with the University, it is much more of a partnership and not a transaction. There are times when we couldn’t do what we need to do without the type of assistance from qualified interns like Jordan.”

Schaaf said Mizerek exhibited a lot of enthusiasm for the work during the interview process. The Chamber’s search for interns usually starts with a post at area universities, where they hope to find students familiar with the area and prepared to take on a wide range of events and marketing-related tasks.

“We’ve worked with Bowling Green's Kuhlin Career Hub before, so we’ll reach out to them when we have something open,” he said. “Jordan contacted us, we had some conversations with her, and we decided it was a good opportunity for both of us. It’s about taking what they’ve learned in the classroom and applying it.”

Mizerek said that about two weeks after applying for the post, she found out she had landed the internship.

“Things came together quickly. I started on May 27, and they put me in an active role right away,” the professional communication major said. 

She put a lot of time into the Chamber’s “Summer in the City” program, which serves as a conduit connecting summer interns and co‑ops to networking, cultural experiences and professional development opportunities in the community, with the hope of retaining young talent to live and work in the region.

“The program brings in interns, and we provide the bridge to get people connected with where they want to work,” she said, adding that some 150 college and post-graduate interns will gain experience through Summer in the City this year.

Mizerek, who expects to graduate in Fall 2027 and then pursue a master’s in media and communication, has been involved in the registration, programming and digital marketing initiatives at the Chamber. Following Summer in the City, she worked on the Chamber’s Clambake, its signature summer event held at the Toledo Zoo, which brings together business leaders, community partners, entrepreneurs and professionals for a busy evening of food, entertainment and networking.

“I’ve always been up for a challenge, and am ready to be thrown into something,” said Mizerek, who has spent time performing with BGSU’s improv troupe, where she gained experience in quick thinking and reacting to any situation. “I love being given a ton of work, and I am honored that the Chamber thought I was qualified and ready to take on these tasks.”

She credited her BGSU classes with giving her a sound footing to accept a challenging internship and succeed.

“A lot of my Bowling Green classes have done so much to help prepare me for this, to help me find my voice. I went from someone who wasn’t the most confident speaker to someone now able to carry on a conversation in a very structured and productive way,” she said. “I’m able to build personal relationships through networking, something I never would have been able to do before.”

Steve Russell, the chief partnerships officer at BGSU, who is based in the Office of Industry Partnerships, leads the University’s strategic industry engagement and career services initiatives. He sees Mizerek’s experience at the Chamber as another example that the system is working.

“The Chamber had a need for summer intern help, Jordan connected with them, and from everything we’ve heard, she has been hustling and doing a great job,” Russell said. “Our office is about bringing in partners who can build layers and layers of connections with us. We believe that if we work with them and support them, they will grow, and as they grow, that will support more opportunities for our students.”

Russell said the internships that BGSU works to facilitate often help the students fine-tune their career path and that they come away from the experience with “clarity and confidence.” Mizerek indicated that her time with the Chamber provided that important benefit.

“Beyond the work and the experience, one of the biggest benefits is clarifying where I want to be in this field,” she said. “I always want to learn more, but it is reassuring to know that I’m building towards something so meaningful in my future.”

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