Celebrating Excellence: ITS Intern Banquet Honors Students for Innovation, Service and Leadership
The third annual ITS Intern Banquet, held on April 6, was a night of celebration, camaraderie, and appreciation. Among a stellar cohort of 157 outstanding individuals, Florida State University’s Information Technology Services recognized three exceptional interns whose work, leadership and dedication are shaping the future of IT at FSU.
From innovation and service to transformational leadership, this year’s award winners each represent a different meaning of making an impact at FSU.
The Innovation Award – John Jimenez
For John Jimenez, a graduating senior studying information technology who has been with ITS for two semesters, innovation means stepping into challenges others have avoided. When asked to help organize a complex and uncategorized Teams channel with more than 8,000 files, he didn’t hesitate. Jimenez’s work quickly expanded beyond a single project, as teams across ITS sought to replicate his methods.
“What I didn’t expect was just how innovative John would be,” said his supervisor, Darla Shrum, Associate Director of Business Process & Efficiencies, EDM, and Application Security. “Across every project, John independently identified problems, designed his own solutions, and leveraged advanced AI tools… delivering results I would expect from a full-time business analyst, not an intern.”
Jimenez went on to build a data pipeline analyzing more than 6,000 form fields across 287 university forms, using multiple AI tools to generate insights and a dashboard that is now informing enterprise-level decisions.
For Jimenez, the experience was about more than gaining technical skills.
“Working with ITS has been one of the most impactful experiences of my academic career,” he said. “It pushed me to think beyond just completing tasks and instead focus on solving real problems at an institutional level.”
The Service Excellence Award – Tygh VanZandt
Tygh VanZandt is graduating this spring with his degree in information technology and has been with ITS for four semesters. He has worked across multiple teams, gaining hands-on experience in infrastructure, operations and networking. VanZandt has demonstrated reliability, steady growth, and a commitment to service during his internship.
“Tygh consistently exceeds expectations for an intern and embodies the qualities of service excellence through his reliability, professionalism, and dedication,” said supervisor Charles Melton, Assistant Director of Network Operations. “His ability to absorb complex information and apply it in practical situations has been impressive and speaks to his commitment to excellence.”
From documenting internal procedures to supporting network operations and voice systems, Tygh has built a strong technical foundation while contributing to his team’s day-to-day success. His ability to adapt, learn quickly and collaborate across units has made him a dependable presence within ITS.
“My time at ITS has reinforced the importance of service, collaboration, and making a positive impact through our work,” VanZandt said. “Working with such a skilled team has been rewarding.”
The CIO Award – Olivia Neu
Olivia Neu, a graduate student studying organizational management and communication, has been with ITS for two semesters. During her work with ITS, she has helped reshape the internship program alongside Sara Mischler, Staff Engagement Manager.
“In the time she has been with ITS, Olivia has completely transformed how our internship program operates,” Mischler said. “She didn’t just help run the program; she reshaped it. Because of the processes and systems she put in place, we were able to grow to our largest intern cohort ever.”
Neu’s work extended beyond operations into mentorship, recruitment, and strategic planning. She helped strengthen both the intern experience and the program’s long-term success, ultimately earning a full-time job offer in Human Resources within ITS following graduation.
“ITS has given me the opportunity to grow into a more confident and capable professional by trusting me with meaningful responsibilities and encouraging me to take initiative,” Neu said. “Receiving the CIO Award means so much because it’s shown me that my efforts don’t go unseen.”
Together, these three interns represent the strength of the ITS internship program, where interns are empowered to innovate, explore and lead. Their work reflects the real-world impact students can have at FSU, and ITS is committed to continually investing in student talent.