INDIANAPOLIS — An Indianapolis Airport Authority intern has been named Indiana’s College Work-Based Learner of the Year, a statewide honor from Work and Learn Indiana recognizing college students who make a clear impact during their internships.
Nyasha Julius Choga, a senior at Franklin College studying software engineering, earned the award for the work he completed during his 2025 internship with the IAA’s information technology and cybersecurity team. Choga spent the summer working alongside IAA staff building a new master database to track physical keys across the airport system — replacing an outdated process and improving efficiency by up to 90 percent.
Choga’s work stood out to judges because it addressed a real need and improved day‑to‑day operations for people across the organization.
“Julius jumped into a pretty complicated environment and helped to solve an operational challenge,” said Mario Rodriguez, IAA executive director. “He not only innovated a solution, but he also created an interface that made it simple for staff to use, and then he trained staff for the transition from the old system to the new one. That’s award-winning work, hands down.”
Rodriguez said when internships give students the chance to take on real-world projects, they grow with real experience – and they take that real experience into the community and create valuable solutions.
“And Julius is an example of so many young people we see come through the airport each year in our work-learn programs – full of ideas, ready to innovate and collaborate, and hungry for the opportunities to put what they’ve learned to the test,” said Rodriguez.
“Receiving this award is a reflection of the guidance and support I’ve received from my managers and colleagues,” said Choga. “The Indianapolis Airport Authority has challenged me to think critically, solve real-world problems, and operate at a professional standard. I’m thankful for the opportunity and excited about the future as I continue building my career and solving problems using technology.”
