080425...R INTERNS DAY 2...Niles...08-04-25...Approx. 70 interns attended the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber's Intern Day at the Eastwood Mall Event Center...by R. Michael Semple

NILES — The inaugural Mahoning Valley Intern Day, sponsored by the Youngstown / Warren Regional Chamber, featured 70 young people — mostly college students, but also high school and graduate students plus recent college grads — who were completing a summer internship.

The day allowed them to explore career opportunities and network with local community and business leaders, as well as each other at the Eastwood Event Centre in Niles.

The theme of the event was “Not the Same Mahoning Valley You Remember.” This was a key point highlighted by guest speakers from different fields and with the game Kahoot, which was played on their electronic devices. It presented questions about Mahoning County and Trumbull County festivals, venues, activities and cost of living. They answered on their devices to win prizes.

“I’m a lifer,” said Nico Morgione, Director of Government Affairs at the Youngstown / Warren Regional Chamber. He is from Youngstown, received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Youngstown State University and now works where he grew up.

Brenda Linert, Director of Community Impact at the chamber, gave the opening remarks. Then, the daylong session began with an opportunity to take a professional headshot photographed by the chamber’s Marketing and Graphic Specialist Kelly McKee-Foos.

“I am having my photo taken to use on my LinkedIn profile,” said Sophia D’Angelo, a senior at Youngstown State University and an intern at Steelite International America in Youngstown.

Though numerous young people who attended the event are YSU students, a few at the gathering were from outside the area.

“I am in high school in Houston,” Cynthia Cai said. “I had a summer internship in marketing and communications at the Youngstown / Warren Regional Chamber,” she said.

Mason Sheely and Tyler Speicher are both from Erie, Pa. and attend Penn State University. Their internships are at Ultium Cells.

“We did not know each other until our internship,” Speicher said.

He is a senior and Sheely is a sophomore at the university.

Some of the other higher education sites where the interns are students include Kent State University, University of Akron, Baldwin Wallace University, Case Western Reserve University, John Carroll University and Vassar College.

All of the speakers described the success they achieved in the Mahoning Valley and told their audience to consider all paths to their chosen career, but encouraged them to stay in the area.

Tim Petrey, CEO of HD Growth Partners, described his life as a motherless toddler who grew up on the West side of Youngstown, worked at a truck wash to put himself through YSU, where he received an accounting degree, and became an owner of the business where he originally was a receptionist. When the owner decided to retire, he took a chance on Petrey and sold the business to the then 25-year-old.

Petrey informed the students when they considered a move from the area to know that his company was voted “The Best Accounting Firm in the Country for Women.”

He also told the students they need to “show up” and if they give their best at their jobs then they will have an advantage over other job seekers.

Mahoning Valley Young Professionals were part of a panel discussion and answered questions about the start of their careers and explained how, sometimes, the path to job satisfaction can veer.

Ken Bigley of Struthers, chief operating officer of JAC Live, discussed his path in the field of entertainment. Previously, he ran The Cellar concert venue in Struthers. He received a certificate in real estate and insurance but decided he’d rather work 40 years with music. He is the main booker for the Covelli Centre and the Youngstown Community Foundation Amphitheatre.

Bigley also mentioned an advantage to a Youngstown area work location.

“I still live in Struthers and I have a six-minute commute. I considered the main office for JAC Live in Nashville, New York or Los Angeles. Most people I work with have an hour-and-a-half commute. I start at 10:30 a.m. because a lot of the managers I talk to are on the west coast, but I end my day around 7:30 p.m.,” he said.

Additional reasons cited for staying in the area included the diverse food scene, close proximity to nature, farmers markets, various entertainment venues and a sense of community that Bigley and Petrey have not experienced at other locales for their jobs.

Some attendees said they did plan to stay in the area.

Haya Farhan, a graduate student in health care administration at Youngstown State University and an intern at the YMCA of Youngstown, hopes to work at a hospital.

“I plan to stay here and work locally, and then see how it goes from there. I was excited to come today to meet people and network,” Farhan said.

Youngstown / Warren Regional Chamber President and CEO Guy Coviello, who grew up in Niles, gave the closing remarks.

The day ended with a behind-the-scenes tour and a chance to hang out with their new friends at a Mahoning Valley Scrappers game.