Three Seniors Selected for Prestigious Two-Year Orr Fellowships
Pictured left to right are Clare Maher ’15, Samantha
Moorhead ’15, and Bailey Shrum ’15 who were
recently named Orr Fellows. This is the largest
number of Saint Mary’s graduates entering the
program at one time. Media Contact:
Gwen O’Brien
Director of Media Relations
Saint Mary’s College
(574) 284-4579
February 26, 2015 (Notre Dame, Ind.)—Saint Mary’s College is proud to announce that for the fourth consecutive year, seniors have been selected as incoming fellows within The Governor Bob Orr Indiana Entrepreneurial Fellowship. Clare Maher ’15 of South Bend, Samantha Moorhead ’15 of Dunwoody, GA, and Bailey Shrum ’15 of Indianapolis were named as members of the next fellowship class, making this the largest number of Saint Mary’s graduates going into the program at one time. Since 2012, four alumnae have served as fellows, including current fellows Nichole Clayton ’13 and Sara Napierkowski ’14.
The Orr Fellowship was established in 2001 and continues to provide a unique opportunity to graduates of Indiana colleges and universities to jumpstart their careers with a two-year fellowship. During the two years, fellows work for Indianapolis-based host companies, receive executive-level mentorship, and build professional and peer networks. The program not only encourages students educated within the state to stay, decreasing the “brain drain,” but also creates and fosters the next generation of young dynamic professionals that contribute to the tech-based business ecosystem and civic community of Indianapolis.
“The Orr Fellowship’s purpose is to refine our skill sets to allow and challenge us to make a difference. We gain exposure and hands-on experience in running a nonprofit organization,” noted Clayton, a second-year fellow assigned to the company Courseload.
Successful applicants demonstrate strong leadership potential on and off campus, a strong interest in entrepreneurship, business and/or technology, and an aspiration to actively make a difference. With a record high of 724 applicants this year, The Orr Fellowship graciously welcomes 45 new fellows to work at 32 host companies in 2015.
“The companies mainly focus on technology within the business world, but students of various majors have the opportunity to apply their specific and unique skill sets in a dynamic environment. I majored in Italian and global studies, and now I work in technology marketing,” explained Napierkowski, a first-year fellow who works with Teradata.
Clare Maher '15Clare Maher ’15, a humanistic studies and history double major who fulfilled her graduation requirements in December, is already working for CloudOne, a company that specializes in personalized cloud software service the Internet of Things (IoT). Working as a human resources partner, she credits Saint Mary’s for preparing her for this opportunity. “The critical and analytical thinking skills I developed at Saint Mary’s allow me to find unique solutions to problems,” Maher said. Her leadership activities at Saint Mary’s include working as a resident advisor (RA) and as a tutor in the Writing Center.
Samantha Moorhead '15 Samantha Moorhead ’15, who is majoring in chemistry and Spanish, will work as a technology analyst for a company called Apparatus. She says the feeling of community within the Orr Fellowship program was something she recognized from her time at Saint Mary’s. “The sense of community is important to me as I’ve grown to love the community that Saint Mary’s has provided me,” Moorhead said. At Saint Mary’s Moorhead was involved in student government, this year serving as vice president of the student body; working as a teaching assistant in the Department of Chemistry and Physics the past two years; and taking part in a summer research program at the College last year.
Bailey Shrum '15 Bailey Shrum ’15, a communication studies major, will work as a marketing coordinator for FlashPoint, a small talent management consulting company. FlashPoint is a certified Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE). “The small classes and the amount of outside opportunities at Saint Mary’s helped me to develop the leadership and confidence that the Orr Fellowship values,” Shrum said. In college Shrum served as vice president of Lambda Pi Eta, the communication studies honor society and as a student ambassador giving campus tours. She also sat on the Community Standards Board and Student Activities Board.
All three women emphasized the value of their Saint Mary’s education as they begin their professional lives. “I feel well-equipped to enter the workforce with a Saint Mary’s education,” Moorhead said.
Saint Mary’s alumnae who participated in the fellowship encouraged students to take advantage of the opportunity to apply. Several of them came back to campus to recruit. Maher said, “Each of them seemed to sincerely enjoy their experience in the program.”
About Saint Mary’s College: Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, Ind., is a four-year, Catholic, residential, women’s liberal arts college offering five bachelor’s degrees and more than 30 major areas of study, such as business, nursing, art, chemistry, and social work. By the fall of 2015, pending accreditations anticipated in the spring, Saint Mary’s College will offer two graduate degrees: a Master of Science and a Doctorate. All programs that fall under these degrees are co-educational and include a Master of Science in Data Science, a Master of Science in Speech Language Pathology and a Doctorate of Nursing Practice. Founded in 1844 by the Sisters of the Holy Cross, Saint Mary’s College’s mission is to educate students, develop their talents, and prepare them to make a difference in the world. Saint Mary’s College ranks among the top 100 Best National Liberal Arts Colleges for 2015 published by U.S. News & World Report.
~Press release written by Caroline Stickell '16, media relations intern.