Faten Aburidi, Right By Faten Aburidi, First Solar Intern
Can you name five fun things to do in the Toledo Region during the Summer?
Genuinely speaking if my employer had not enrolled me in the Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce Summer in the City program, I probably would not have been able to name two. But let me rewind and give you an insider’s view on my past 3 months as a summer intern.
In May, I started my first internship with First Solar, a leading American solar technology company and global provider of responsibly produced eco-efficient solar modules. As a Mechanical Engineering major at the University of Toledo, this was an exciting new chapter for me and the company’s other interns – most of whom were moving from out of state. When moving out of state we all know what that means: scary new city, no friends, and big changes. For us, that was not the case. Fast forward three weeks into our internship, we were invited to participate in the Summer in the City intern program.
Hosted by the Chamber, this program connected almost 200 interns from more than 20 companies within the Toledo Region to help them meet and make new friends while exploring downtown Toledo and the surrounding region. The program includes fun social events plus professional development opportunities. Some of the events that we enjoyed over the two-month program were a Toledo Mud Hens game with a rooftop picnic, a Maumee River boat cruise, a seminar about the multi-million Glass City River Walk development, and an impromptu get together at The Heights restaurant which offers 360-degree views of downtown, Lake Erie and more!
Can you name five fun things to do in the Toledo Region during the Summer?
Genuinely speaking if my employer had not enrolled me in the Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce Summer in the City program, I probably would not have been able to name two. But let me rewind and give you an insider’s view on my past 3 months as a summer intern.
In May, I started my first internship with First Solar, a leading American solar technology company and global provider of responsibly produced eco-efficient solar modules. As a Mechanical Engineering major at the University of Toledo, this was an exciting new chapter for me and the company’s other interns – most of whom were moving from out of state. When moving out of state we all know what that means: scary new city, no friends, and big changes. For us, that was not the case. Fast forward three weeks into our internship, we were invited to participate in the Summer in the City intern program.
Hosted by the Chamber, this program connected almost 200 interns from more than 20 companies within the Toledo Region to help them meet and make new friends while exploring downtown Toledo and the surrounding region. The program includes fun social events plus professional development opportunities. Some of the events that we enjoyed over the two-month program were a Toledo Mud Hens game with a rooftop picnic, a Maumee River boat cruise, a seminar about the multi-million Glass City River Walk development, and an impromptu get together at The Heights restaurant which offers 360-degree views of downtown, Lake Erie and more!
Faten Aburidi, Center I was encouraged to participate in the Summer in the City program by my supervisors at First Solar, and it was so fun to get to bring them along to a few events to show them that I appreciated the opportunity to be involved. They were able to see firsthand how this program really focused on the development of interns like myself. Bringing them along also gave me the opportunity to build a more personal relationship with them that I don’t think I could have accomplished just in the office setting. This not only helped me learn more about the people I work with, but it also made it easier to network with the other interns. I learned that there is a huge difference between speaking with your boss about your job in a fun relaxing setting (like on a boat) rather than in the office. I also loved getting to connect with other interns in the region because it reminded me that there are so many others outside my organization that were having the same experiences as me.
Thanks to the unique events and my conversations with other interns and leaders in the community, I can confidently say that I no longer feel the need to go out of state or out of the city to have fun or make new friends. Each event we attended was so much fun, and little things like walking through the city to get to a cool new venue made me realize Toledo is so much more than I thought.
If it had not been for this program or these events, I would not have met the people I know today nor would I have been able to say that I can name way more than five fun things to do in Toledo. I am excited to see what the future has in store for me and other incoming interns. I hope they all take advantage of the hidden gems within Toledo.
FATEN’S TOP TEN LIST OF THINGS TO DO IN TOLEDO
• Sandpiper Boat Cruise
• Watch a movie in the 3D theater at the KeyBank Discovery Theatre at Imagination Station
• Hike in Oak Openings
• Go to a Mud Hens game
• Eat at The Heights rooftop restaurant
• Go to the Toledo Zoo & Aquarium
• Visit the Toledo Botanical Garden
• Go to the Toledo Museum of Art
• Visit the Libbey Glass Factory Outlet
• Eat at the Real Seafood Co. on the 4th of July
Summer in the City presented by Owens Corning is a unique experience for summer interns and co-ops to network and explore the Toledo Region. The program, created and hosted by the Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce, started in 2015 as a way to help interns build networks and show them what life would be like if they called Toledo their hometown. The program is targeted at college junior, senior or graduate student interns who are working at a variety of businesses and organizations in Toledo for the summer. Since 2015, the Summer in the City program has hosted over 1,400 interns and co-ops from 160 cities, 20 states, and 7 countries representing more than 60 colleges and universities. Over 80 companies have participated in the past 8 years. For more information, visit www.sitctoledo.com
Thanks to the unique events and my conversations with other interns and leaders in the community, I can confidently say that I no longer feel the need to go out of state or out of the city to have fun or make new friends. Each event we attended was so much fun, and little things like walking through the city to get to a cool new venue made me realize Toledo is so much more than I thought.
If it had not been for this program or these events, I would not have met the people I know today nor would I have been able to say that I can name way more than five fun things to do in Toledo. I am excited to see what the future has in store for me and other incoming interns. I hope they all take advantage of the hidden gems within Toledo.
FATEN’S TOP TEN LIST OF THINGS TO DO IN TOLEDO
• Sandpiper Boat Cruise
• Watch a movie in the 3D theater at the KeyBank Discovery Theatre at Imagination Station
• Hike in Oak Openings
• Go to a Mud Hens game
• Eat at The Heights rooftop restaurant
• Go to the Toledo Zoo & Aquarium
• Visit the Toledo Botanical Garden
• Go to the Toledo Museum of Art
• Visit the Libbey Glass Factory Outlet
• Eat at the Real Seafood Co. on the 4th of July
Summer in the City presented by Owens Corning is a unique experience for summer interns and co-ops to network and explore the Toledo Region. The program, created and hosted by the Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce, started in 2015 as a way to help interns build networks and show them what life would be like if they called Toledo their hometown. The program is targeted at college junior, senior or graduate student interns who are working at a variety of businesses and organizations in Toledo for the summer. Since 2015, the Summer in the City program has hosted over 1,400 interns and co-ops from 160 cities, 20 states, and 7 countries representing more than 60 colleges and universities. Over 80 companies have participated in the past 8 years. For more information, visit www.sitctoledo.com
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