Economics Department Saint Joseph’s University Philadelphia
Shipping Students off to Great Careers
Spring 2015. Volume 1, number 1
Welcome to the inaugural issue of the Economics Internship Program newsletter! There will be one issue every semester that will share
news of student experiences, introduce new employer partners, and offer new insights into the internship course, ECN 491.
Read, enjoy, join the program, take the course, and set sail on a great future!
Economics Internship Program (ECN 491)
Economics is a rigorous major and minor, with a broad range of post-graduate career opportunities. That breadth is also reflected in the
internship employers with whom we have partnered via the internship course, ECN 491. The Economics Department offers its students
the possibility of working with the federal government (Department of Labor) as well as international development non-profits (Profugo);
wealth management firms (Voya, Morgan Stanley, AXA Financial among others) as well as banks (Royal Bank of Canada); healthcare organizations (IMA Consulting, Lankenau Hospital) as well as poverty alleviation organizations (LIFT). Students interested in environmental policy have worked with SciStarter, those interested in fundraising have worked at the Philadelphia Zoo, and the housing start-up
HouzeMe has been especially popular with our students. And there are others! The Economics Internship Program strives to provide breadth within
which students can achieve depth.
Hear Their Voices
During the Spring semester 2015, 13 students enrolled in ECN 491, working with 9
employers. Three students are with a housing start-up and six are with established financial firms. In addition, one student is working in each of the following fields: poverty eradication, online education, healthcare and federal government. Here’s what
some of our current interns have to say about their experiences.
“I am loving this internship experience and I have learned so much in so little
time.”
-Vanessa Marquez ‘17, Voya
"Working for a startup gives you a sense of purpose, makes you feel like you can be a part of something very big.”
-Jonathan Bloodgood ’15 HouzeMe
“[This] internship program is awesome because it allows you to gain experience in the field while also earning academic credit. It’s great for your resume too!”
-Bobby Valeno ‘16 AXA
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Hear Their Voices, Continued
“Through the internship program, I have gained knowledge and real examples of concepts that I have always struggled understanding in the classroom.”
-Madeline Bridge ‘15, Voya
“Thank you for another fantastic semester in ECN491. In just two years, you have grown the program into a tremendous success. In fact, I strongly believe that all departments should emulate the econ department's internship program.”
-Mike Caruso ’15 HouzeMe
It is surprising that not a single intern…NOT ONE… commented on the fact that the monthly internship class meets at 7:30am!
One Day Internship Prize
The winner of the Fall 2014 One Day Internship Prize was senior Michael Caruso, intern at HouzeMe. The prize was hosted by Fr.
Kevin Gillespie, President of SJU. Mike had lunch with his host in
early February and learned about a typical day in the life of a university president. He will be attending several non-confidential
meetings with his host in the upcoming weeks.
ABRACADABRA
Watch Those Internships
Translate into Postgraduate
Jobs
Brenna Weems ‘14, double major in Economics and IR, interned at
IMA Consulting during senior year. Upon graduation she was offered a full time position as a financial analyst. Brenna is a cheerleader for SJU students and is happy to answer questions from aspiring interns ([email protected]). Colton Kaiser ’15,
completed an internship at ING Financial (now Voya Financial
Advisors) in Fall 2013 and has been hired by his original supervisor,
Mr. Daniel Weiss. It was a great match! Allie Wilk ’14, interned at
Windsor Funds in 2013 and was offered a job upon graduation.
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The Employer Page
We are deeply grateful to our partner employers. Without their enthusiastic participation, our program would not be as popular and
successful as it is. On behalf of the Economics Department: THANK YOU!
We Have New Employer Partners
This semester we welcome four new employers to the Economics Internship Program: LIFT, PATHS, MARG, and JCHEM.
Located in West Philadelphia, LIFT Philadelphia is a non-profit organization seeking to reduce poverty with a broad range of programs. Interns work with community members to assist them in finding jobs, stable housing, childcare, and healthcare. According to
senior intern Lauren Schreck, "I'm so grateful for the opportunity to experience economics from a non-profit perspective. It's been
both educational and humbling to help eradicate poverty in the community."
With some forty years of experience, the Mid Atlantic Resource Group (affiliated with the Securian Financial Network) is a diversified
financial services organization providing independent insurance investment management and financial services representation to individual, corporate and professional clients. Senior Frank Sortino has taken the financial apprenticeship opportunity that they offer. He
says, "MARG … reinforces concepts in finance and economics as a part of the learning process."
PATHS is our new partner in the healthcare industry. Physician and Tactical Healthcare Services offers solutions for receivable management to healthcare clients. These services include billing and eligibility, compliance, monitoring and evaluation. Senior intern Amy
Wyschynskyj works in one of their four regional offices where she is getting experience with the Affordable Care Act.
Finally, JCHEM is an international Jesuit organization striving to provide education to refugees across the globe. Jesuit Commons:
Higher Education at the Margins offers an online Diploma course to qualified refugees in Kenya, Malawi, Jordan and Myanmar. Nick
Paolizzi ’15, is aiding JCHEM in determining student post-graduate outcomes given legal restrictions on refugee employment. Nick is
also assisting Dr. Bookman in teaching refugees how to start their own businesses. He finds the experience "… very fulfilling and
meaningful.”
And Our Partner Employers Have Some News
Tundidor and Weiss, our partners at Voya Financial Advisors,
have been with the Economics Department since the internship
program’s inception. In Fall 2014 they informed us that as a result
of an expansion, they are looking to fill six new internship slots in
2015. Aspiring interns, get your resumes ready!
Starting in Fall 2015, Karr Barth Associates (AXA) will sponsor
our interns in their pursuit of the Life, Accident and Health Insurance exam (a necessary license for financial advisors). This and
more will be made available for qualifying interns who accept full
time employment with Karr Barth.
LIFT Philadelphia requires all its interns to complete a comprehensive two-day training course before they begin work. This
intensive preparation serves to introduce students to the realities
of urban poverty and arm them with the means to combat it. The
opportunity to undergo this training is an additional benefit for
interns and may serve them well in careers beyond LIFT.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor
has taken one or two of our interns every semester since the internship program started. The relationship between the BLS and
the Economics Department has now deepened further with the
establishment of the Campus Ambassador Program that brings
BLS economists to SJU for information sharing and outreach.
The more they come to campus, the more our students learn
about the Department of Labor and the more demand for internships will grow. Good news for both SJU and BLS.
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DID YOU KNOW?
Potential interns: Did you know you can split your
internship work? You can work on-site with an
employer during the summer and do the academic
study part during the Fall semester, when you are
registered for ECN 491.
Spotlight on…..
Featured Industry
Health Care: It’s Not Just for Doctors
and Patients!
Healthcare is also for economists! Trained economics majors participate in the
healthcare industry by helping to make good economic choices with respect to competition, prices and markets. The healthcare delivery system in the U.S. is massive and
complex (amounting to 18% of GDP in 2010) and employs people at many levels
and in many settings. In Philadelphia, health care is the largest sector of employment.
SJU Economics students have not missed the opportunity to intern in that industry.
Since Fall 2013, 6 students have worked at IMA Consulting, PATHS, Lankenau Hospital’s Department of Oncology and the Center for Public Health Research.
We have local resources: The Economics Department has three professors who
are healthcare specialists and can advise students about careers in that field. Dr.
Divya Balasubramaniam does research in the health area while Professors Tom
Heron and Angelo Savelloni came to SJU with extensive industry experience. In addition, we offer an upper division course, Health Economics ECN 390. Explore this
promising career field via the course, our professors and the internship program.
Look to the Future
Our internship partners, as well as numerous other local employers, will be attending the third annual NETWORKING NIGHT on
Wednesday March 18 in Campion (Doyle Banquet Hall) from 6:30 to 8:30 pm. Make sure you attend. Make sure you have a one sentence “elevator speech” prepared about yourself and one about your future goals. Make sure you dress to “Look the Role.” Kudos to
the Executive Committee of the Economics Society for organizing this event!
For students interested in the healthcare industry: On March 28, Professor Tom Heron will be the facilitator of a panel on “Future
Trends in the Healthcare Industry” at the meetings of HEALTHCARE FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION (Cira
Center, Philadelphia, 10:20-12:00). Interested students should contact Prof. Heron ([email protected]) to arrange a waiver of the attendance fee.
The final meeting of the EMMM (Economics Majors Monthly Meeting) will be held on Tuesday, April 21 during free period. At this
time, the recipient and the host of the 2015 ONE DAY INTERNSHIP prize will be announced. Location TBA.
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Internship ECN 491 FAQs
-Do I have to take ECN 491 in order to do an internship?
No. You can secure your own internship and not take the course. However, by taking the course you earn 3 credits towards your economics major or minor while interning.
-What is the difference between summer and Fall-Spring internships via ECN 491?
During the Fall and Spring semesters, the Economics Department tries to place students with our partner employers. During the summer,
students find their own placements. The academic part of the ECN 491 is the same.
-Can I find my own internship employer for the Fall and Spring semesters?
Yes, however the site has to be approved by the Department if you want to take ECN 491.
-Can I take the internship course, ECN 491, more than once?
Yes. The first time it counts towards your major or minor. Later, it counts as an elective.
-Will an internship look good on my resume?
Absolutely! Completed internships greatly enhance your resume. There is significant evidence that internships during college improve
career opportunities.
Have questions? Want information? Wish to make comments?
Please contact Dr. Bookman, Internship Program Director, [email protected]
Thank you to Chris Tobia ’16 for formatting and design.
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