| INDIANAPOLIS (Feb. 13, 2026) — An Indianapolis Airport Authority intern has been named Indiana’s College Work-Based Learner of the Year, a statewide honor from Work and Learn Indiana recognizing college students who make a clear impact during their internships.
Nyasha Julius Choga, a senior at Franklin College studying software engineering, earned the award for the work he completed during his 2025 internship with the IAA’s information technology and cybersecurity team. Choga spent the summer working alongside IAA staff building a new master database to track physical keys across the airport system — replacing an outdated process and improving efficiency by up to 90 percent.
Choga’s work stood out to judges because it addressed a real need and improved day‑to‑day operations for people across the organization.
“Julius jumped into a pretty complicated environment and helped to solve an operational challenge,” said Mario Rodriguez, IAA executive director. “He not only innovated a solution, but he also created an interface that made it simple for staff to use, and then he trained staff for the transition from the old system to the new one. That’s award-winning work, hands down.”
Rodriguez said when internships give students the chance to take on real-world projects, they grow with real experience – and they take that real experience into the community and create valuable solutions.
“And Julius is an example of so many young people we see come through the airport each year in our work-learn programs – full of ideas, ready to innovate and collaborate, and hungry for the opportunities to put what they’ve learned to the test,” said Rodriguez.
“Receiving this award is a reflection of the guidance and support I’ve received from my managers and colleagues,” said Choga. “The Indianapolis Airport Authority has challenged me to think critically, solve real-world problems, and operate at a professional standard. I’m thankful for the opportunity and excited about the future as I continue building my career and solving problems using technology.”
IAA’s commitment to developing early‑career talent
The IAA’s internship program has helped to prepare more than 100 interns to succeed in the job market. Eleven of those former interns are now employed full-time with the IAA.
The IAA’s work-learn programs are founded on mentorship combined with fully hands-on work that develops experience and builds a strong resume — rather than mere observation. At the IAA, interns are paired with staff who guide them through projects that matter to employees and passengers, and they spend time with different airport divisions to understand how the operation fits together.
The IAA also partners with Indiana colleges and universities through project collaborations, where students take on semester‑long and year‑long projects tied directly to the Indy airport’s needs. Those projects include technology improvements, customer‑experience research, operational analysis and so forth.
“Our goal is to give our interns a real-world experience that is world-class, the same way we are committed to providing a world-class customer experience for our guests,” said Rachel Stevens, Sr. Director of Human Resources. “In turn, that gives Central Indiana a stronger pipeline of new professionals at a time when many industries are preparing for a wave of retirements. It’s another way the we strive to create public value.”
To learn more about internship and work-learn opportunities at the Indy airport, click here. |
