Four Wabash College seniors have earned Orr Fellowships, guaranteeing them two-year, salaried positions with a host company in Indianapolis.
As Orr Fellows, Caden Beckwith, Cade Cox, Adam El-Khalili, and Cole Vassilo will receive executive mentorship and participate in a curriculum designed to develop understanding and skills vital to entrepreneurship and business leadership. Fellows will also grow professionally through an active and supportive network with opportunities for cultural and civic engagement.
“Wabash continues to put forth exceptional candidates for the fellowship,” said Cassie Hagan, director of professional development and Center for Innovation, Business, and Entrepreneurship (CIBE). “Orr has been an excellent fit for many of our entrepreneurially-minded liberal arts grads over the years. I love that the program does such a great job retaining some of our brightest business minds in the Indianapolis-area where they can make an excellent career for themselves.”
Orr Fellows work in a variety of job functions, ranging from marketing to engineering to consulting, sales, and many more. Fellows are matched with industries of all types and partner with companies from small start-ups to enterprise-level global organizations.
To be considered for an Orr Fellowship, a student must demonstrate leadership on and off campus, have a cumulative 3.2 GPA or higher, and have a strong interest in entrepreneurial business or organizational leadership.
Beckwith is a PPE major and business minor from Fishers, Indiana. He is involved with the CIBE, Writing Center, Student Senate, Sons of Wabash, and the Newman Center. Beckwith also serves as the president of Lambda Chi Alpha and the Chapel Talk coordinator for the Sphinx Club.
He will be starting his work with the business development and data analytics teams at WSI Technologies.
“I was extremely excited when I was awarded the fellowship, and cannot wait to jump start my career,” Beckwith said. “WSI Technologies is an exciting tech company that implements technology solutions for agencies to collect, manage, store, and record voice-data-video in mission critical situations. I hope to help WSI Technologies grow its footprint across the United States and world.”
Cox is a computer science major and mathematics minor from Walton, Indiana. He is a member of the Computer Science Club, Wabash Christian Men, 3D-Printing Club, and serves as president of Sigma Chi.
He will be working on the project management, IT support, and/or software development teams at Jobvite.
“I was nervous after the last round of Orr interviews, just waiting to see if and who I would receive an offer from,” Cox said. “I felt extremely relieved knowing that I was going into Thanksgiving Break with my post-graduation opportunity already lined up.”
El-Khalili is a financial economics major and business minor from West Lafayette, Indiana. He is a member of Delta Tau Delta, CIBE, Arabic Club, the swimming and diving team, and served as Sphinx Club president.
He will be joining the finance and data analytics teams at the Heritage Group.
“I am thankful for being given this opportunity and I know I couldn't have succeeded without the help of Wabash alumni, Career Services, and my peers who always encourage me to strive and be the best that I can be,” El-Khalili said. “I am excited to get started in June, and look forward to continuing to learn and grow in this field.”
Vassilo is PPE major from Indianapolis. He serves as the intramural sports chair at Beta Theta Pi, Ping Pong Club vice president, a peer career advisor for Career Services, and is a member of the Investment Club.
He will be working as a go-to-market associate for Zylo.
“Finding out I was awarded a fellowship was a fulfilling moment,” Vassilo said. “During my time as an Orr Fellow, I want to build relationships and make a positive impact at Zylo.”
Since 2007, 36 Wabash students have been awarded Orr Fellowships.