INDIANAPOLIS — The Orr Fellowship is successfully retaining Indiana's brightest college graduates, with 65% to 70% of participants choosing to stay in the state long after the two-year program ends.
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The fellowship connects recent graduates with innovative companies, mentors and professional networks across Indiana while helping them develop into future business leaders.
Will Messmer, a Purdue University graduate, is six months into his role as creative marketing specialist at RadCare Services in Indianapolis through the program.
"Taking all the skills that I learned in college, such as the videography and the social media graphic design, and utilizing those to help us has been really big," Messmer said.
Despite being fresh out of college, Messmer has significant responsibilities as part of a two-person marketing team at the growing startup, which cleans, repairs and inspects lead vests and protective devices for healthcare providers.
"Which I didn't expect right out of college, having that access to our whole leadership team and our executive team and them coming directly to me for the needs that they need to have done," Messmer said.
For companies like RadCare Services, the fellowship provides access to pre-vetted talent.
"As a business owner, hiring is kind of a pardon the phrase, it's kind of a crapshoot," said Justin McKay, co-founder of RadCare Services. "So the Orr Fellowship program kind of allows you to skip that. These are high achievers. These folks have resourcefulness, grit, tenacity."
The program was created by the founding team of another Hoosier business to address Indiana's challenge in retaining top talent.
"It was started by the folks that started Angie's List and the executive team there that saw a problem for keeping really great, amazing new talent in this state, and said, 'How do we make Indianapolis sticky?'" said Catherine Mazanek, senior director of engagement for the Orr Fellowship.
Before joining the fellowship, Messmer was applying for positions nationwide. Now he expects his professional connections to benefit his career for years.
"You get put into this network of professionals and executives in the Indianapolis area that most people will never have access to in their lives," Messmer said.
Applications for the next cohort open in July for students graduating in 2027. The competitive program requires a 3.5 GPA and seeks candidates with leadership skills.
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