Lindsay Doyle

Major: Anthropology
Additional Studies: Forensics and ASL

Intern at Tippecanoe County Coroner’s Office

How did you learn about this internship opportunity?

I learned about this internship through connections I made while taking a forensics class. For one of the Forensics classes, we needed to go to the county courthouse to view a hearing. While I was there, I met another girl who was in my class; we got to talking, and she mentioned that she was a current intern at the Coroner's Office. The opportunity sounded amazing, so I asked her for all of the details, and she helped me get in contact with the office to submit my application.

What is a piece of advice you would give someone in your major looking for an internship?

The best advice I have ever received is to just put yourself out there and get to know the people around you. It may feel awkward to try and strike up a conversation with strangers, but it really can open doors for you and tell you about opportunities you wouldn't have known about before.

What key responsibilities or projects have you taken on during your internship?

In my time at the Coroner's Office, I have mainly been put in charge of closing and opening case files. If I am at work and we are conducting autopsies, I am also asked to scribe. Every once in a while, I am also tasked with going through old case files to review all of the information in them and ensure that all necessary information is properly collected.

How has your internship helped build your skills and clarify your career goals? How did being a Liberal Arts student at Purdue apply to your internship?

This internship has helped solidify my desire to pursue a career in this field. Through this experience, I have been able to learn about human anatomy while also getting to see all the processes regarding death from a government standpoint. Being a Liberal Arts student has taught me how to critically examine documents and retain important information from them. This internship has allowed me to use this skill in a real-world setting in a very meaningful way.

In what ways has the College of Liberal Arts at Purdue University supported your internship journey? How has your participation in our Job-Ready program specifically aided your professional development?

Being able to work at the Coroner's Office has shown me what the real government/death investigation world looks like. I have been able to learn so many kinds of things at my job that have solidified my desire to continue along my path. The Job Ready award allowed me to focus solely on my job and ensuring I was producing the best work I could, rather than worrying about how I would get to work every day. I wouldn't have ever heard about this internship if I wasn't a CLA student. We all love to help each other however we can and use any connection that we can so are able to see our peers succeed.

Could you highlight a standout aspect of your experience in the Job-Ready program that you find particularly noteworthy?

The Job Ready program has been able to help me gain all the practical skills that I have been learning about in my classes. In my internship I was able to participate in many hands-on activities and real-world scenarios. These experiences have helped me prepare for the workforce and build my confidence in my career path.