By Allison Conner
Published 10:00 am on December 26, 2025
For some graduates, Commencement is more than a celebration. They step off the stage with a diploma in hand, smiling for photos that pass too quickly. But then the noise fades. The crowd thins. And one question quietly takes over: What now?
Alyvia Arndt and Brooke Krivich did not feel that pause. They both crossed the Bemidji State University graduation stage with confidence, knowing their careers were already underway.
Both entered the workforce while still enrolled at BSU through the George W. Nielson Foundation paid internship program. Thanks to their talents and their employers’ needs, those opportunities soon evolved into full-time jobs and allowed them to move directly into their careers instead of into months of uncertainty.
It’s clarity that Bemidji State’s Career Advancement office is uniquely positioned to provide.
Programs like Nielson’s have already shown what’s possible when students gain paid, real-world experience to move from college to career with confidence. Arndt and Krivich both started with internships that turned into something bigger, not because they had it all figured out, but because someone gave them a chance to try, learn, and grow.
Alyvia Arndt: Leadership earned through trust
Alyvia Arndt’s work is rooted in how people connect across an organization.
A 2023 Bemidji State graduate, Arndt now works in Bemidji as a people operations business partner at Nortech Systems, an innovative manufacturing company serving the medical, aerospace, and defense industries. She joined Nortech through the George W. Nielson Foundation internship program as a student, and the experience moved quickly beyond academic observation.
Today, she works closely with production members, department managers, and the executive leadership team. Arndt serves as a go-to specialist in an environment where accuracy and accountability matter. And at the center of her work is a deep investment in the people on the production floor and throughout the company.
“I learned everyone’s name out on the production floor,” Arndt said. “I know fun little facts about each and every one of them.”
Deep trust is built, not assigned. Her role moves her across the organization connecting with all of the employees and with leadership.
Arndt began developing her leadership instincts as a residential assistant at BSU. While serving as an RA, she sharpened her management instincts long before stepping into the workforce. It was her first test in learning how to navigate conflict, support others, and stay composed under pressure.
“Learning the skills, doing the RA training, and handling tough conversations, it really does follow suit with HR and my responsibilities here,” Arndt said.
As an intern, Arndt worked on the rollout of a new human resources platform, contributing to a real project with real impact. It was the moment school stopped feeling theoretical and started feeling tangible.
Today, Arndt partners with BSU to help introduce students to professional environments early by hiring interns at Nortech, giving her a full-circle opportunity to help students discover their own paths.
“I had my hands in a lot of cookie jars as an intern. I was doing a lot of stuff,” she said. “I didn’t have to go through the hassle of applying for jobs. I had a set plan.”
Brooke Krivich: Discipline that carries forward
Brooke Krivich always knew accounting was the right fit. What came later was seeing how that decision would hold up outside the classroom in real offices, with real expectations and real deadlines.
While still a student, Krivich took part in the Neilson internship program and completed internships at Miller McDonald in both tax preparation and financial auditing. The experience offered an early look at professional work and gave her the chance to apply classroom instruction as it was happening, not years later.
“I really felt everything that I was learning for my accounting degree,” Krivich said. “It just rolled over into my internship, and it was really helpful.”
Much of Krivich’s coursework was completed online, making the internship one of her first sustained experiences working inside a professional environment. It was also the point where coursework began to feel less theoretical and more connected, where learning started to look like a career taking shape.
Alongside accounting, Krivich also studied music at BSU. The discipline of practicing, preparing and returning to the work day after day carried over naturally into how she approached her studies and, later, her profession.
That mindset has stayed with her. Krivich is currently working toward earning her Certified Public Accountant license, often spending hours studying after work. She said the profession’s emphasis on continued education and advancement is part of what she values most: Learning doesn’t stop at graduation; it deepens.
“Music taught me to pay the full price,” Krivich said. “Don’t cut corners. Take the time to learn it and understand it. That’s what allows you to really execute the work.”
Career Advancement’s collaborative investment
Their paths look different, but both Arndt and Krivich’s journeys point to the same thing: Access matters.
Career Advancement is deepening its investment in that area through Discover3, which was created to build on those proven results. Developed by the BSU Alumni & Foundation and in conjunction with Career Advancement, Discover3 launched in August 2025 as an initiative to exponentially increase access to opportunities and resources through services that are available to students, alumni, and employers in a centralized hub at bsualumni.org/discover3.
“We help students from here to career,” said Lisa Gubrud, Career Advancement’s management analyst. “We help them explore majors and minors, create resumes and cover letters, network with employers, find internships, and develop career readiness skills. Supporting them all the way through graduation and beyond.”
That support adds up in tangible ways. During the summer of 2025, the Nielsen Internship Program provided nearly $32,000 in grant funding to give students meaningful opportunities. That initial fund helps employers offset costs to hire students. Through the partnership with those employers in the region, interns earned more than $93,000 in wages.
Through internships and career support, Career Advancement sees students graduate with confidence and often transition directly into meaningful careers, equipped with both skills and professional networks. And by bringing career preparation, alumni engagement and industry partnerships together, Discover3 helps students see a clear path forward.
It’s a map that connects coursework, curiosity, and real-world experience.
“Finding internships is a key way for students to explore their chosen career fields,” Gubrud said. “That’s our goal: to help students gain experience and successfully launch their careers.”
Hire a student intern this summer
The George W. Nielson Foundation internship program helps local employers bring students into real work, the kind that builds confidence, skills, and momentum while helping cover the cost. Eligible businesses can receive compensation for up to 50 percent of an intern’s wages, with awards of up to $2,500 per business.
Employers interested in participating can learn more or apply for summer 2026 funding today at bsualumni.org/alumni/discover3/internships. Applications are due Jan. 9, 2026.
