POET’s Never Satisfied Program is a multifaceted educational initiative created to serve as a launchpad for aspiring leaders, inventors, policymakers, farmers, engineers, and communicators. This program, which encompasses POET’s scholarships and internships, was designed to empower young people by helping them harness the power of their potential. By investing in their education and providing opportunities for hands-on experience, POET aims not only to foster students’ talent but also ignite their passion for innovation.
Scholarship program
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At the heart of POET’s Never Satisfied Program is its scholarship initiative. Established in 2016, the program awards 15 $5,000 scholarships to students who are never satisfied with “good enough” and share POET’s mission to create a brighter future.
“POET’s Never Satisfied Scholarship program was created to help alleviate the financial burden of higher education for some of our nation’s most talented students who share our mission to change the world,” said Miranda Broin, POET Director of Executive Communications. “We want to ensure that the next generation of changemakers is equipped with the knowledge, opportunities, and resources they need to work toward their educational and career aspirations.”
POET Never Satisfied Scholarships are open to any student enrolled in a two- or four-year post-secondary school for the upcoming fall semester, and one scholarship is reserved for a relative of a POET team member. Applications are open from January to mid-February of each year, and scholarships are awarded in the spring.
“It’s more than just a scholarship,” said Broin. “We take pride in the mentorship and development aspects of the program. Never Satisfied Scholars are connected with industry experts in their respective fields who provide guidance, support, and insight, and we aim to stay connected long after they go through the program and complete their studies.”
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Internship program
POET’s scholarship initiative is complemented by its robust internship program, which provides students with hands-on experience, relationship-building, and practical training. Interns at POET have the opportunity to work on real-world projects that have a tangible impact on the company’s operations.
“The work culture at POET is great,” said Kate Blankenship, who spent the summer as a POET engineering intern and was also a 2024 Never Satisfied Scholar. “I’ve felt valued as a member of the engineering team regardless of how much I had to learn coming into the internship, and I have been given meaningful projects during my time as an intern. This was my second summer with POET, and it’s been great both times!”
This year, POET hosted 40 interns across 15 of its locations.
Interns are integrated into various departments, including research and development, engineering, sales, logistics, and operations.
This exposure allows them to gain a holistic understanding of their field and the many facets that contribute to POET's success. Interns work alongside seasoned POET professionals, learning from their expertise and gaining invaluable industry knowledge.
“There are always new challenges in the supply-chain environment, where my internship was focused,” said Aden Katz, who served as an international logistics intern. “Every day, POET’s team is working together to solve issues that range across all of our business units and involve events happening all over the world. Working together to solve a new issue is a rewarding endeavor in itself! Being a part of a team like the one at POET has allowed me to effectively tackle any problem that has come my way.”
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The company works to help its interns be confident and well-prepared to enter the working world, which is especially meaningful when their careers take root at POET.
“Over the course of the program’s history, the company has hosted over 500 interns, with over 25 percent of those interns becoming full-time team members at the end of the internship or after graduation. We have also had a few cases where interns joined other companies for a short time but ultimately came back to POET for their long-term careers,” said Wendy Alexander, POET Talent Scout. “Our internship program is designed with the goal of providing the opportunities and support necessary for our interns to grow into the future leaders of their industries and, hopefully, POET as well.”
Katz is one of those interns who has transitioned to a full-time role, POET Rail Logistics Coordinator, after the completion of his internship.
“Being an intern is an incredibly valuable opportunity,” said Katz. “At POET, you get genuine hands-on learning, and the team cares about your development; you’re not just sent to do busy work. This learning environment and the culture seemed impossible to pass up. After meaningful conversations with my mentor, supervisors, and the rest of the team, I applied for a permanent role. My hiring manager was incredibly truthful, understanding, and flexible throughout the hiring process, and I was incredibly excited when he offered me the opportunity!”
Applications for POET internships open September 1st each year and close at the end of December.
Never Satisfied Summit
The synergy between the scholarship and internship components of the Never Satisfied Program creates a seamless channel for developing future leaders.
That’s why this year, for the first time, both interns and scholars attended POET’s second annual Never Satisfied Summit. This two-day, conference-style event was hosted at POET’s corporate office in Sioux Falls with an agenda that included professional development sessions, presentations from the POET team and leadership, networking opportunities, and more.
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“Through both the program and the more concentrated sessions of the Summit, our goal is to help young people develop essential skills like critical thinking, effective communication, and adaptability,” said Alexander. “The Never Satisfied Program is a great example of POET’s vision to support future generations and our belief in the power of education and innovation to create a brighter, more vibrant world.”
For more information about POET’s Never Satisfied scholarship and internship programs, visit poet.com/neversatisfied
2024 Never Satisfied Scholars
Ahmed Eldeeb - Harvard University
Bailey Schneider - University of Missouri–Columbia
Kellen Kueter - South Dakota State University
Avery VanOverbeke - Mitchell Technical Institute
Kate Blankenship - University of Tennessee–Knoxville
Blake VanPelt - South Dakota State University
Mohamed Salem - Pennsylvania State University
Abigail Dvorak - Coe College
Rachel Bruggeman - Iowa State University
Zachary Bareither - Kettering University
Moeen Razzaque - Harvard University
Alexia Savage - Carleton University
Jessica Miller - South Dakota State University
Lacy Schoneboom - University of Missouri–Columbia
Lillian Hanson - Colorado School of Mines
2024 POET Interns
Aden Katz
Alana Howard
Andrew Berntson
Ashley Rodriquez
Austin Harms
Benjamin Serie
Caroline Hansen
Chiara Fernando
Cole Bisbee
Cole Nelson
Connor Matthies
Curtis Tauer
Danielle Mennenga
Emma Kielsmeier
Everette Carroll
Gabrielle Coombs Murphy
Grant Rose
Hayden Orrell
Isaac Schmitz
Jacob Vostad
Joey Schultz
John McIntosh
Kate Blankenship
Kyle Wist
Lara Carnier Matuck
Lukas Peterson
Lydia Mindermann
Madison Pahl
Mark Quiring
Matthew Brown
Michael Schneider
Mohammad Ullah
Morgan Thompson
Reece Eberhart
Samantha Larson
Samantha Twing
Seth Roemen
Timothy Cao
Trevor Wapp
Tyler Bushnell
