Celebrating RAND Interns, Current and Former, on National Intern Day

RAND Intern Andrew Miller on site observing the 7th floor steel framing of a new residential development under construction.
RAND’s Summer Internship Program is back in the office and on site for 2021. Above, intern Andrew Miller observes the 7th floor steel framing of a new residential development under construction.

RAND’s summer internship program returned to the office this year, and in recognition of National Intern Day, held on the last Thursday of July each year, we’re treating our interns to lunch to celebrate their hard work and contributions to RAND. All our interns, both remote and in-office will also be receiving a gift certificate as a token of our thanks. 

This year, we have two returning interns who participated in our Summer 2019 internship program before the COVID-19 pandemic, and we’re happy to announce that two other interns from that same program have graduated from their respective universities and just recently became full-time staff at RAND this past month. Welcome to the team, former interns Facade & Roofing Project Associate Alex Saglamer and Forensics Team Project Associate Brendon Huang!

RAND Project Associate Yolany Heredia meets virtually with First Workings intern, high school student Silvia.
RAND Project Associate Yolany Heredia meets virtually with First Workings intern, high school student Silvia.

Also joining us remotely this year is high school student Silvia via First Workings, a non-profit organization RAND has teamed up with over the years that works with students from underrepresented and underserved communities. RAND Project Associate Yolany Heredia has been working one-on-one with Silvia, looking at colleges and career paths in engineering and architecture. 

Out of RAND’s over 100-person staff, seven current staff members are former RAND interns, including our greatest intern success story of all, RAND Principal Peter Varsalona, PE, who joined RAND as an intern in his junior at Columbia University in 1992. Via RAND’s internship program, interns gain hands-on experience and guidance from mentors in the field of their interest and make lasting professional connections. The mission of our program has been to open doors to new opportunities and start bright young minds on the path to fulfilling careers and lives. 

Happy National Intern day to our interns and all the interns out there!

For a look at some of our past intern’s experiences, read more on our blog. 

Isabelle Walsh is RAND’s Human Resources Manager.